


II: Quod Vero De Chaos Et Timor

by Stzari



Series: AQWorlds: Star Crossed Lovers [2]
Category: AQW, AQWorlds, Adventure Quest Worlds, AdventureQuest Worlds, Artix Entertainment
Genre: Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Attempted Murder, Attempted Sexual Assault, Betrayal, Blood and Torture, Cheating, Crossdressing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Custody Battle, Dethrix Drakath Is A Cunt, Drakath Slugwrath Is A Cunt, F/F, F/M, Foreshadowing, Gaslighting, Gay Drakath, Ghosts, Gore, Hallucinations, Heavy Angst, I'm Sorry, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Minor Character Death, Murder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Revenge, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Sibling Reunion, Stripping (its for medical reasons...), This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Undead, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, Vath (AQWorlds) Is A Mess, Vath (AQWorlds) Speaks Drow & it's fantastic, Vath really really is a mess, Wet Dream, Wolfwing (AQWorlds) Is A Blessing, sibling hatred, someone please help this man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-05-21 19:24:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14921417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stzari/pseuds/Stzari
Summary: CHAPTER RATINGS:1 - T (implied murder, a lil bit of blood)2 - T (implied murder)3 - M (attempted sexual assault, implied murder, violence, gore)4 - T (gore)5 - M (gore, self-harm, violence, smut, domestic abuse, murder)Those who fear punishment learn quickly how to behave; for primalism is not likely, they will simply do whatever they want. The case is different for those who do not fear punishment, because there is nothing to keep them in check. They do not act for consideration of the future. They take what they want; feeding their inner hunger. I am a victim; they took me away from my friends, so now I should curse chaos with every breath in my body. But there is no anger in my heart. Instead, I feel something that I can only describe as pity. I think of the others, and the sorrow HE must feel for killing countless people. My own feelings are setting me apart from the village.





	1. Curriculums and Bitemarks

**Author's Note:**

> Again, here’s what this story contains - 
> 
> Many OCs  
> MOMENTS THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING FOR SOME! PLEASE BACK AWAY IF YOU ARE AFFECTED BY ANY OF THE ISSUES MENTIONED IN THE STORY. I WOULD HATE IT IF YOU GOT UPSET!!  
> Some chapters may be for mature audiences if you are squeamish to mentions of murder, murder or abandonment  
> Logic!  
> Probably a lot of chapters  
> Probably a lot of short chapters  
> Probably a lot of badly written chapters  
> A ton of cliffhangers
> 
>  
> 
> EVERY SINGLE CANON CHARACTER HERE IS PROBABLY EXTREMELY OOC SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME SINCE I AM COMPLETELY USELESS AT WRITING CANON CHARACTERS!

“ _They attack, they kill...and their victims rise again to join them. The cycle of contamination continues. The dead come back to life; those bodies were laid to rest and should be still, but they waken; they walk among us, doing their violent deeds. They choose their victims, they feed upon them, they threaten to destroy us; the lords of chaos. If you offer condemnation based on nothing but speculation and preconception, people will cover their ears and refuse to hear. The louder you shout, the more people oppose you. The more insults you hurl, the less they will believe what you say; however, the shouts of Iaoda describes the situation_ more than even he realises; and the truth is nothing short than terrifying.”

_* * *_

 

**~Sara~**

 

When my eyes began to flutter open there was a terrible throbbing in my head. I was lying down on a bed and there was a blanket covering my body. Slowly, I raised my aching head off the pillow and looked around the room I was in. Instead of finding myself inside a bloodied, disgusting and horrifying torture chamber, the room I had been resting in looked quite nice. It was filled to the brim with wooden furniture: two dressers, a rocking chair, a full-length mirror and a bedframe. The walls were painted a sunny yellow, and the windows were covered with white curtains.

 

I slowly began to slide myself off of the bed, my knees trembling with every step I took, but I managed to make my way over to the window by nothing but luck. They were covered in cold, metal bars. It looked just like the bars on the windows in prison cells. Outside, there was nothing. There was just neverending darkness, no matter how hard I looked to try and identify something with all my might.

 

I heard the door open, and I turned to see not the man who had attacked me, but another person. This person was of the same gender as him, however he was completely different. He had indigo-blue skin, like Adam, but his ears were elongated and pointed. In a way, they were marvellously shaped, ending with a slender point; unlike Adam’s regular circular ears that we, and most of the population shared. His somewhat large pink eyes, thin face and long, white hair made me question his gender for a second, but he dressed like a male and did have some masculine features, so I let these questions slip away. I was surprised at his presence, as I suspected the man would come for me.

 

“It appears that Drakath’s hostage has risen.” He said, pointing out the complete obvious. Perhaps he was talking to himself. But, how long was I out for? What did they do to me when I was unconscious? Where am I now? Who’s Drakath?

 

I just stood there awkwardly. I didn’t want to look this man in the eye. I could see his search for mine. I felt like a fucking idiot for getting Adrainne’s medicine in the middle of the night. I knew it was a bad idea.

 

He walked closer to me, and I wanted to back up but I was already pressed up against the wall. I could see that my knees were still shaking underneath me. “There is no need to be so shaken.” He whispered. He was so close to me that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin. I lifted my hand to push him away, but he grabbed it. I punched him in the chest with my free hand. “Let go of me.” I said through my teeth, growling. Even though my punch didn’t even faze him, he arched an eyebrow at my reaction.

 

“Come on.” He said, pulling my body in front of his. He was pushing me forward, with his hand still on my arm and his other arm was wrapped around my waist. I felt like I was stuck inside deep mud. “No! Let go of me! Stop!” I screamed at him. “I don’t want to die! Let go of me this instant!” I dug my feet into the ground. It was the only thing I could do to stop him. My body started to slide further down his and his arm was soon around my neck. I sunk my teeth down into that arm as hard as I could. He yelped out in pain before letting me go, and I tumbled down onto the ground.

 

I could feel something wet on the bottom of my lip drip down onto my chin. I wriped it away with my fingers. I looked up at the mysterious man to see his arm was bleeding; I didn’t know I could bite someone hard enough to draw blood. Still on the ground, I tried to scurry away from him. He grabbed me by the shoulders and started to violently shake me, like I was a can of fizz. “Get ahold of yourself!” He bit back, in a sharp tone. I reacted fast, kicking him in the shin with my leg. He then dropped me, but I quickly did my best to get up onto my feet. I brought my knee up to his stomach with all of the strength I could find in my body. He uttered a moan of pain and let it escape his lips as his back arched, but he reacted even quicker than I did; before I could move, he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back, hard into the mirror.

 

“I….I don’t want to die….” I softly muttered, hugging my knees. My arms became shields as the glass rained down on me. I felt sharp stings grow across my face and arms. “He….he killed that man….he-he killed him right in front of me….” I didn’t even know what I was saying now; I was losing my mind here, and I had only been here a couple minutes, not counting the time when I was asleep. I looked up at the man.

 

“Is he going to do the same thing to me? Are you going to do the same thing to me, grab me by the neck and drain all my life force out of me?” I don’t even know why I was saying this – I must’ve been going mad. Why was I suddenly so dependent all of a sudden? If I was back with Adam, I would’ve told this man to go do one. _If I_ _was_ _back with Adam, I would’ve fought him. If I was back with Adam, I would’ve won. If I was back with Adam, I wouldn’t have been covered with cuts and bruises as I am now._

 

“Please….please don’t let him kill me! I never did anything wrong!” I begged and pleaded, as he slowly got closer to me. “ **LEAVE ME ALONE!** ”

 

When those three words drifted out of my mouth the white-haired man stopped in his tracks. He was frozen, just like a statue. His cold, dead, pink eyes had suddenly been blessed with the gift of life and they widened in fear. It seems that these words had made him jump right out of his skin. He started to mutter and choke out. He was still like a statue. He made no sound. It was like time had stopped for this white-haired man.

 

After what seemed like centuries, he finally spoke out again and regained his composure. “It’s alright….” He spoke out, getting on his knees. He moved dangerously close to me, and I wanted to back away, but I couldn’t, as I was right up against the wall. I tried to desperately get away from him, but it was no use. “It’s alright….” He repeated what he said earlier, and then he gave me a warm, glowing smile. Tears threatened to spill from those pink orbs. It was like he was a completely different person. Suddenly, I was in his embrace.

 

I admit, it was quite shocking to find myself being hugged by a person who brutally attacked me just a couple of minutes ago. I found it very strange indeed. I met the gaze of this man once again and found that his eyes had somehow changed colour – instead of the piercing pink I saw earlier, I was met with a blue colour. This colour was quite beautiful indeed - it felt as if I were staring into one of the most bluest glaciers from the frozen northlands, the ones that resided near the majestic and powerful Queen Aisha’s castle. I was mesmerised.

 

I did not see these blue eyes for long. It was barely minutes when the pink came back; the white-haired drow’s eyes became dead and cold once more. When this happened, he quickly unwrapped his arms around me as if that moment had never ever happened in the first place. He removed the glove that was placed on his right hand, and then gently placed it on my arm. I then saw a golden, shining light envelop my arm, then it slowly spread to the rest of my body. I then felt something strange; my body soon started to repair itself underneath this golden light, and it was doing this quickly. It was like these wounds were never even there before, because of how quickly they would disappear underneath this golden light.

 

When I was healed, the man rose from his knees and then flipped his hair. I was guessing he was one of _those_ people. “Drakath wishes to see you now.” He spoke clearly, without a slither of pity or remorse. “He will not take no for an answer, and will not accept a single one of your pleas for guidance.” When he spoke these words, he took a step, but then stopped and looked in my direction. “You will accompany me, _yes_?” He asked in a loud and harsh tone, making me flinch. He tilted his head to the side, turning to me. “Because if you do refuse the orders of our magnificent master, then punishment is inevitable.”

 

It appears as if I had no choice in the matter, which was a shame. Back in Faith, I was able to decide if I wanted to stay in bed and sleep in, or get up early and do chores. Back in Faith, I was able to choose what I would eat. Back in Faith, I basically did anything I wanted. Unfortunately in this hellhole, this wasn’t the same case. I sighed, heaving my heavy, aching bones and got up. “Well, if I’m not allowed to stay here, then….” I replied, but then trailed off, as saying anything to him would be absolutely pointless, and would just lead to the exact same conclusion.

 

The man opened the door and led us down an extremely long hallway. The walls were covered with lilac bricks, and they hung purple banners all around the area. These particular purple banners featured a bizarre eye right at the centre. Its black eyelid shook me. It was the exact colour of obsidian, and it was so dark I could barely even make out its features. Its lilac sclera shone, and it shone its dark purple pupil. Its pupil was so thin, it was just like a cats. I felt as if all of the eyes were glaring at me with every step I took throughout the hallway, even if I was being accompanied by this mysterious person.

 

As we walked down this dark hallway, I heard the sounds of another voice. It was a man, who had those eyes covering his body – it was like his skin was a canvas and the purple eyes were the paint. I looked towards the direction of the voice, and it turns out that he was staring right at me. I felt like he was staring right into my soul; and that was when he opened his mouth, and then he began to speak.

 

“Don’t trust Drakath Slugwrath….” He muttered. “Don’t become apart of chaos. Do not trust Prince Slugrwath. Being apart of chaos….it’s not cool, it doesn’t make you a cooler or a powerful person, it just….it ruins you. It turns you into a completely different person, it just turns you against your friends and family, and then you hurt them. You just become a monster….unaware of your cruel actions…..” But as soon as the man tried to reach out to me, the other man who accompanied me grabbed me by the wrist, and he prevented the other man from getting any closer to me. We then quickly speeded off, walking at an incredibly brisk pace.

 

“Iaoda is in the chaorruption process.” The white-haired man informed me. “Of course, anyone would obviously be aware of this as soon as they took a seconds glance at him.” He still kept his hand tightly on my wrist, and it seemed as if he wasn’t going to let go. As time went on by, his grip got tighter and tighter until I could feel him cutting off my circulation. “G-get off me!” I spoke, in a sharp tone. I attempted to shake him off me, but he was a lot stronger than I was, so I failed miserably. He sighed miserably.

 

“Tch. Look at that; My master claims that you are the chosen one – however, you whimper, whine and complain every time you have the chance to. He’s going to regret even thinking about you in the first place.” He kept a stone cold glare fixated on me throughout his little speech. “He was such a fool to recruit a human. They are disgusting, worthless, needy filth. They do not deserve life in this world.”

 

He let go of my wrist, and I felt a huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders as he did so, and then he still kept on walking at his same pace to the very end of that hallway. In that split second, I had a choice. _I had a choice that I could make. I could go the other direction. I could go the other direction and try to get away from this man. I could go the other direction and find an escape route. I could go the other direction and get back to Faith. Or, I could follow him. I could follow him and die. I could follow him and be tortured_.

 

But if they caught me escaping….I would die too. And I would be tortured as well. I could possibly never leave here if they found out I tried to escape.

So I continued to follow this man, despite my desperate feelings of wanting to escape him.

 

“If you’re not retarded, then you obviously already know what is at stake.” The white-haired man told me, still hurrying. But all of a sudden, he turned to face me, his cold, dead, pink eyes meeting my hazel ones. “I wouldn’t bother trying to escape.”

 

I froze. _He knew what I was thinking? But how? Isn’t that impossible? He can’t just go into my mind, can he? That’s impossible. It’s probably just a coincidence that he knew what I was thinking about._

 

It wasn’t.

 

“Oh, it is more than a coincidence, mortal. Us _purebred_ drows have hearing so sharp, that we can hear the thoughts of anyone around us.” The white-haired man walked closer to me, with a smirk on his face. I wanted to slap it off. “I would advise you not to think such ugly thoughts about myself and those close to me, if you do not want to face a harsh, cruel, excrutiatingly painful punishment that may even cause death, if you are lucky.” he then chuckled at me, took me by the hand, and began leading me down the end of the hallway.

 

_I get kidnapped by some serial killer, and then I’m stuck with some egotistical perfect little privledged shithead. Yay, go me! I certaintly am getting the best in life at the moment._

As I spoke these words, we had opened the door at the end of the hallway, and then the drow suddenly let go of my hand. “Oh my, mortal! I do really appreciate these compliments. You are simply divine! I must tell these pathetic, inferior vagrants about your kindness.” He shouted in an over-exaggerated, vulgar manner, as if he were purposely trying to attract the attention of others towards us. He was possibly being sarcastic, but he was honestly so naive and stuck up that I didn’t know anymore.

 

“Shut your face, pretty boy!” I heard someone roar in the background. “Otherwise, you won’t look so pretty anymore!” This person sounded rather violent, so I instantly told myself to try and avoid them as much as I could because of their tone. Because I told myself this, rather than saying it out loud, I was met with another familiar voice.

 

“Good choice, mortal.” Mr. Possible superiority complex whispered to me. “That thing is a half-breed. A half-breed! They are disgusting creatures that deserve to be wiped off the face of the earth. His violent behaviour and filthy mouth make him even more toxic to be around; coming from experience here, I suggest you avoid all of them. Oh, except me of course. Because _I’m_ the greatest.” He ended that little piece of ‘advice’ with a smirk.

 

“Hey, kiddo!” A feminine voice rang out in the distance. “If you had at least half a brain cell and any common sense, I’d advise you to stay away from him. Vath’s a filthy piece of work!” She yelled. “All he does is sit on his ass all day; there’s no point in even giving him any attention!” This particular comment made the drow flare up with anger; his eyes began to glow a bright, shining red – this was only for a split second, and then his eyes returned pink.

 

“I do not believe you have the right to say that, Kimberly dearest.” Vath chuckled. “Who is the one that actually fights their enemies? Yours truly; but of course! All you do is send in a useless vessel for you to control so you don’t get hurt. Such a coward….” He explained this to her in minor detail, yet I personally believe he thought he was giving her all the information she needed, because his ego was so incredibly high. But if he thinks I’m going to listen to him, then he’s even dumber than I thought.

 

“Why do any of you believe that you are stronger than I am? If we were all stripped of our powers here and now, I would destroy all of you before you even had the chance to fight back.” Vath continued on with his boring, eye-gouging speech. I felt like contemplating suicide right there and now, but then I heard someone speak.

 

“Yeah, just like what you did with your wife.” A mysterious person snickered in the background. Just one saying; one little tiny saying that could’ve easily slipped from someone’s mouth was the last straw for the white-haired drow. I saw every single part of his body mentally freeze over. His breathing quickened. Fists clenched. Ears and eyes twitching. Furrowed eyebrows. Then, all of us were met with bright, shining, ruby red orbs.

 

“CEASE THIS BICKERING!” An ungodly, inhumane shriek echoed throughout the room. Vath was screaming at the top of his lungs, raising his fist upwards. “WHICHEVER BLASPHEMOUS, DISRESPECTFUL, DISCOURTEOUS….POND SCUM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PROVOKE, BETTER WISE UP AND ADMIT THEIR CRIME IMMEDIATELY, OTHERWISE YOU WILL ALL BE FED TO NONE OTHER THAN MY GLORIOUS WEAPON!”

 

“He even calls his own dragon a weapon. _Laaame_.” Another voice was heard. “Let’s just get out of here. This is boring me out of my mind.”

 

And so, they did. Everyone who was in that room left. I remember that there were twelve of them in total. _Twelve_ people; and I only heard four of them speak. I simply cannot imagine what they have in store for me once I encounter the other eight of them. All of a sudden, one of them stopped to glance at me for a slight second. It was only one thousand milliseconds – yet I was easily able to catch her.

 

She had blue eyes….or was it green? Unlike everyone else in that room who had eye colours like pink, purple and orange. Her skin was deathly pale, and she donned black tattoos underneath her eyes. From my distance, they looked quite beautiful. Before I could note down anything else about her appearance, she had vanished without a trace. It seemed as if she had left the room along with the others.

 

Now in the silent room, you could hear the smallest pin in the world drop in here. The only entities that existed in this room were two people. And they stood in silence.

 

“So? Are you going to leave with them?” Vath questioned me, turning to my direction. His gaze was fixed onto mine, and I couldn’t brush him off this time; so I had to be honest with him.

I shook my head. “No.” I replied. “You told me that if I were to escape, I’d just be caught. I don’t want to get into any trouble, and I don’t want to get hurt.” I ended this with a sigh, and I sat on a nearby table.

 

He walked over to me; but this time, his steps were much lighter and I felt a lot calmer. When he was close enough, he looked at me; and he _smiled_.

 _His eyes were blue now_.

 

“Do you really wish to become forsaken, Miss Dreadgood?” As he asked this, his smile faltered, and faded into a frown. “Do you really wish to cross the sacred barrier that death creates, and then become a filthy, disgusting creature?” He tilted his head to the side, confused. “Becoming forsaken is not as beneficial as you think. In order for you to save yourself, you have to eradicate the mortals. Is that truly what you want?”

 

I spoke no words. In fact, I didn’t even know how to dignify these questions with a response. Whatever was this man talking about? And how in the blazes did he know my last name? I was extremely confused about this matter, and I couldn’t respond correctly, because of what could happen. If I said yes, would I become just like that evil man that killed Hans? Or would I become a disgusting, horrific monster, that didn’t just take the blood of humans, but the flesh, bones, and organs? Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to respond, because I didn’t even notice that Vath had actually gotten onto the table and quickly pulled me into his embrace. He then brought his lips to my ear.

 

“ _Very well, then.”_ He whispered.

 

I could not fight back, because he wrapped himself tightly around me, like a vice. I could not move, because his grip was so tight, and he was also a lot stronger than I was. _Was this it? Was this how I would meet my end?_ Before I could scream, a hand pushed itself onto my mouth, and I was now defenceless. I could not move. I could not scream or cry for help. I was going to have to sit here and wait until I die.

 

And suddenly, I felt a sharp pain; and the feeling of something embedded in my neck.

 


	2. Uncertainty, Insanity & Agony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe you just have to look inbetween the lines and see that a person really isn't what they say they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update for the chaos lords AU is here: I think it’d be a bit too early to do this since I’ve just started this book, but there’s an important part of the update that is listed in this chapter so I’ll dump it down here. The idea for the concept of these versions of chaos lords was taken from various sources and shows, such as Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, Fuyumi Ono’s Shiki, Matsuri Hino’s Vampire Knight, some vampire novels on fanfiction.net/wattpad/deviantart and the Sims 4 interpretation as well.
> 
> Sometimes, when a lord drinks the blood of their victim, there’s a possibility that their victim can suddenly have a vision – however, this depends on how much the lord will drink. It is more present in light snacks rather than an entire meal/all of the victim’s blood. This vision would consist of a past memory from that lord; but it may appear demented in some sort of form since they would relive it in the body of the lord. These usually last from 15-30 seconds.
> 
> Drakath also has the power to gaze into the eyes of a lord and see their surroundings without them knowing – as he’s the champion and the ruler of all thirteen, he needs to make sure that every single one of his servants never steps out of line. And if they do, there will be consequences.

“ _Vath views himself and his fellow allies as forsaken by all of Lore, and he is correct. He crossed the sacred barrier that death is supposed to create; and in doing so, he did indeed become a forsaken creature. He attacks the healthy, and feeds upon their sanity until they give in to the strong hold of chaorruption; and when they finally accept it, they become just like him. His existence stands in conflict_ of the order of Lorithia; he is something other – and that other is something that is forsaken. If Adam wants to save this world, he cannot stop to question whether his actions or right; unfortunately, that is a luxury that he cannot afford. Chaos will not stop. In order for them to save themselves, they must eradicate the mortals; and yet, I find myself dwelling upon the morality of what they do; that is who I am, and I cannot change it, even if I wish to.”

 

*** * ***

_ **~Sara~** _

 

“Do you really wish to become forsaken, Miss Dreadgood?” As he asked this, his smile faltered, and faded into a frown. “Do you really wish to cross the sacred barrier that death creates, and then become a filthy, disgusting creature?” He tilted his head to the side, confused. “Becoming forsaken is not as beneficial as you think. In order for you to save yourself, you have to eradicate the mortals. Is that truly what you want?”

 

I spoke no words. In fact, I didn’t even know how to dignify these questions with a response. Whatever was this man talking about? And how in the blazes did he know my last name? I was extremely confused about this matter, and I couldn’t respond correctly, because of what could happen. If I said yes, would I become just like that evil man that killed Hans? Or would I become a disgusting, horrific monster, that didn’t just take the blood of humans, but the flesh, bones, and organs? Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to respond, because I didn’t even notice that Vath had actually gotten onto the table and quickly pulled me into his embrace. He then brought his lips to my ear.

 

“ _Very well, then.”_ He whispered.

 

I could not fight back, because he wrapped himself tightly around me, like a vice. I could not move, because his grip was so tight, and he was also a lot stronger than I was. _Was this it? Was this how I would meet my end?_ Before I could scream, a hand pushed itself onto my mouth, and I was now defenceless. I could not move. I could not scream or cry for help. I was going to have to sit here and wait until I die.

 

And suddenly, I felt a sharp pain; and the feeling of something embedded in my neck. It was so excrutiating that I could actually feel an agonising throb as soon as it buried itself in me. And soon, the sickening sound of my life force being sucked away echoed all the way through my ears; I can still remember exactly how it sounded. This made me shiver and shake, so he used his free arm to secure my arms and body. But that still didn’t stop me from struggling.

 

Because of what I had witnessed those few years ago, I seemed to hallucinate that there was a glowing brightness inside of me that I felt represented my life; and because of my current situation, it was dimming. I imagined myself drifting in a dark, yet peaceful haze somewhere between living and dying. It felt so serene there, that I would’ve drifted off to sleep if I really was stuck inside there.

 

While this beast took my life, I thought about various things. Various things that made my life somewhat bearable. I was thinking about eating freezing cold vanilla ice cream outside on a blazing hot summers day, Adrainne’s cooking, my time with Adam – basically just all the tiny things in my life that made it bearable to wake up every single morning because of how cruelly treated I was by my own birth parents. I felt no anger, and no bitterness. I just sat there and accepted that my time had come.

 

Of course, ever since I had witnessed Hans’ death, there was a part of me that had knew. That part of me knew all along that I would never survive long enough to tell the tale about Hans’ death. Throughout every single day of my life after that moment, I attempted to shake off the thoughts coming from that part of me; I feigned ignorance this entire time. But I should’ve known all this time that it would’ve been right. Now, it’s come back to haunt me.

 

But suprisingly, I felt calm. All the little worries I had in my past life had vanished. Suprisingly, it was peaceful, and the only regret I had at that time was dying young. I felt that my life had been too short. All my hopes and dreams for my future had now been erased; all that now laid before me was eternal silence. I then let go of my physical life, allowing my spirit to drift away from the physical world. It was an odd sensation; like slipping into a cool ocean on a summers day.

 

I felt like I was floating; I felt light, free, and completely serene. There was no agitation or fear, only an infinite calm. I felt suspended in the stillness that existed in the outside – the physical reality. But soon, I suddenly felt an awful sense of unease creeping up on me, and I slowly felt it coil around me. The tranquil silence began to crackle like white noise, and I felt a particular feeling that I had never felt before.

 

The sucking felt _good_.

 

This was extremely confusing; why had this feeling enveloped me? I remember Hans’ death as if it was just yesterday. He was writhing in agony, tears streaming down his eyes, blood pouing everywhere, and he was dead in less than a minute. It was obvious that he was in pain. But my experience with this was much different than what he had experienced – instead of feeling pain, I felt pleasure, accompanied by a slight stinging; and I am certain that this has been more than a minute. So why is that?

 

But all of a sudden, I could hear the faint echo of a voice whispering incoherently. Straining, I tried to listen closely. Through the pops and snaps I heard the soft hushed gasps of breath coupled with tiny whimpers. It sounded like someone was crying, but it was stronger than that – as if this person was weeping in despair. Perhaps it was Hans, or even worse….Adrainne.

 

Adrainne may have found out I was kidnapped and the strength of her grief was echoing throughout the land….but the voice did not sound like her at all. It sounded lighter, more young – perhaps a little older than me. The crying countinued getting louder and louder. I didn’t like this. I wanted to run away from the noise but I couldn’t. I was locked in place.

What the hell have I conjured up?! I don’t even think this is my doing anymore!

 

“W...what _are_ you?” A woman called out. “Oh my god….someone help….please help….” Her voice gurgled into a kind of incoherent white noise that I could barely understand. Panicking, I tried to move away but I couldn’t; I didn’t know how to. Then, through this darkness I heard the same voice; but she was more panicked this time. She screeched and sceamed. I felt tremors inside my head. And then, she said the same words that made Vath stop.

 

“ _ **LEAVE ME ALONE!”**_

 

My fantasy world shattered, and I was returned back to the normal world. The slight stinging and stronger feeling of pleasure was also returned to me, and I was stuck back onto the table, having my blood drained forcefully from me. I closed my eyes again, and began to accept that this was my end. I guess I should be happy that my death wasn’t as painful as Hans’; otherwise, I would be dreading it.

 

_But I didn’t die._

 

The object that was buried in my neck slowly left it, making me gasp at the sudden departure. This was rather strange – I didn’t expect this outcome at all. After this, I felt something wet against my wound, which made chills run up my spine. This wet object moved in a circulatory motion, as if it were trying to get rid of blood that may have escaped from his fangs. It then stopped, and after

that I felt the feeling of something that was brushing against my new wound. Perhaps this was a cloth, to wipe my wound down. Finally, I felt something cold against my wound. It must’ve been a hand. But soon, this was replaced by warmth, and I was met with the same glowing golden light to erase my wound and pretend that nothing ever happened between us in the first place.

 

“I would advise you to keep that between you and me. If any information of this were to get out to those pathetic, inferior vagrants, I doubt it that they would _not_ question us about it.” Vath told me, getting off of the table. “Besides, I do not think they would believe you since there no longer is a wound, after all.” His lips then slowly twitched into a sly smirk, like a grinning, cocky cheshire cat who had successfully pinned down a quivering, timid little mouse for its dinner.

 

Now that I was free from his grip, I slowly moved my hand upwards to my neck wound – which suprisingly, wasn’t there. He was right. There wasn’t any evidence anymore; that wound was the only thing I had to prove it. It wasn’t like I was going to testify against him anyway; he was a _lord_. I was nothing but a hostage. Who would they believe? A completely loyal lord, who has been with them for a long time now, or a shrivelled street rat who’s only been conscious for about an hour? You decide.

 

But now that I had his attention, I decided to pluck up the courage and question him about what I saw. The truth was, what I saw during the time of my ‘death’ wasn’t normal. Well, that’s how I would like to think of it. I hadn’t conjured it up, and I was only lamenting over how my life was, what it was like, and what it could’ve been like if I hadn’t been snatched up by that loathsome pond scum these people refer to as _Drakath_. I did not plan on hallucinating some mutated, clusterfuck of a being with a voice of a banshee, and I never will be planning on doing it ever again.

 

The hallucination I experienced reminded me of many night terrors I used to have back in Skullholme. I didn’t want to have them, I didn’t know how they got there, and I didn’t know how to stop them. But somehow, they would always keep on coming back to haunt me. Unlike most children who suffered from these terrible fits, their mother or father would run into their room as soon as they heard their cries, and comfort them until they were able to bring themselves back to sleep. I didn’t have this luxury of being comforted by my parents; of course they wouldn’t even care for me properly. A usual routine for me was to wake up from these dreams, and then sit and wait until I was able to sleep. I had nobody. But now, I had the opportunity of being able to make sense of one of these. I grasped this.

 

“I saw something.” I told him, in a whisper – but it was loud enough for him to hear. After I spoke these words, he whipped his head around to me, raising one eyebrow in curiosity. “What was it?” he asked me, tilting his head to the side. His eyes were wide with his own eagerness. If he knew what was going on, I would be able to find out. This was certaintly good. “A woman.” I continued. “Well, I think I did. I saw someone. She was mortally wounded, and crying out for me to get away from her. But she….” I stammered. “She was _twisted_ , in a way. Yes – she was quite warped. I don’t know why but even though I could barely make her out I knew she was extremely frantic and desperate for help.”

 

I wish I never said that.

 

While I was saying this, Vath’s expression darkened. His eyes grew wider. His eyebrows furrowed. He growled and twitched. When I had turned around, those crystal clear pink eyes had transformed into the menacing ruby red I had encountered just a few minutes ago. It appeared I had made him experience something he didn’t want to hear of. Because of his sudden reaction, I grew worried. “W-well….it’s probably nothing. I might have just been hallucinating because of my lack of blood, that’s all. I was just wondering if you knew anything about it.” I quickly stammered, trying to change the conversation in a different direction, to try and avert him.

 

“Yes. You probably were.” Vath finally replied, in a cold and stern tone in an attempt to shake me off. It felt like sharp ice was stabbing itself in my stomach. Nails scratching on a chalkboard, or a three-dimensional surface. “Do not think of it. It is clearly nothing; it’s a common thing to happen to a victm.” He put one hand on my shoulder, in an attempt to reassure me. I nodded at his reply, giving a tiny smile of agreement. “Okay. Thank you for that. I might’ve thought that you had encountered something like that. I can’t imagine how terrified you would’ve been to see someone looking like that.” I kept on my smile, holding up my facade. It was clear that he had fell for it. I remembered not to think of it any longer, just in case he decided to invade on my privacy once more. “I think anyone with a decent amount of common sense would agree with you.” He replied.

 

There was a ghost of a smile spreading onto his face. I didn’t even know the drow could even smile, due to their stocky, uptight personality and refusal to show positive emotions. I didn’t see this for long, though.

 

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and we were seperated, like lovers torn from each other. There stood the man himself. The human incarnation of pond scum himself – _Drakath_. He still looked as dull and tired as he usually did, with that ‘eyeliner’ of his. His sharp, grave green eyes were fixated on me and Vath, but more on him rather than me. He rushed towards us and ushered Vath out of the room, leaving with him. Before I could react, I was all alone once more.

I didn’t expect him to stay, though. Everyone abandons me. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

 

Now that I was on my own once more, I had more time to examine my surroundings and get more information. But before I could, I heard gentle mumbles outside the door the two left. Curiosity got the better of me, and I swiftly, but silently pressed a glass against the door, to check what was going on. What I heard though, was a lot more sinister than I had expected it to be. But of course, I wasn’t back in Faith anymore. Heck, I don’t even think I’m in the same world as that place. I should have assumed this hellhole was far more sinister than it was depicted as.

 

**~Vath~**

 

 

“I bring hostages in for interrogation, torture, and to silence them. That is what I do. As my lord and servant, I expect you to do the same on exceptions that you cannot interact with them. I expect you to stay silent, loyal, and observant. That is all.” Master kept his gaze fixated on me, unblinking. “What I do not expect you to do is to befriend and comfort them, which was what you were doing.” I flinched as he spoke this.

 

“You shan’t worry about it.” I muttered, not meeting his gaze. “It was absolutely nothing. I promise. I just….pitied her. That is all.”

 

“Are you sure?” Drakath asked. He put his hands behind his back and held them, walking forward and putting his back to me. “She has quite nice eyes. They’re brown, but they also have hints of green, red…. And so much more. They’re extremely big, too. Her hair is quite long, isn’t it? Ginger, but not quite; it’s more blonde. And she’s got a mortal complexion too.”

 

“What are you implying?” I asked in a harsh, brutal tone. I tilted my head to the side. Unfortunately, even though I was a purebred drow, I had no way to invade in his personal thoughts. That was beyond my power as his servant, and even though if I tried, he would be aware of it, and I guarantee my heart would be ripped from my chest. I just wish I could be able to stop everything once and for all.

 

“But even though her eyes have that strange combination, it’s that yellow glow that stands out most of all. Yellow, just like the young _Celia_ , is that correct?”

 

_No._

 

_Nonononononononononono-_

 

_This can’t be happening. It’s not true. It’s not true. It’s not true._

 

_I can’t go on. I can’t go on- someone, anyone….help, please._

 

 

“ _Celia_.” I chuckled at the name. “Boy, I haven’t heard that name in ages. It seems like aeons ago.” I twiddled my fingers, smirking at master. “She was such a darling, was she not? So innocent. So naive. So full of life. So when our daughter inherited those traits, I knew her kindness would carry on.”

 

“Our child was to be the heir to the drow throne. But with such kindness, sympathy and innocence, that couldn’t happen. They had to go.” I laughed once more, grinning from ear to ear. “Would you like me to wipe out Miss Dreadgood’s innocence, too? I wouldn’t mind. After all, since I have done it before, it would be nothing but child’s play for someone like me.”

 

_Just keep on pretending. Tell him you don’t care. Tell him you **liked** ripping her body open. Tell him you enjoyed the sound of her screams. Tell him you thought the sounds of her shrilling, terrified screams and the blood spurting from her was absolutely **orgasmic**. That way, no one will know. No one will know that you suffer each day with the pain and the agony due to the consequences. No one will know you cry yourself to sleep every night due to that. No one will know that it was an accident – you didn’t want to kill her, but it felt that you were being controlled._

 

_No one will know that you’re still madly in love with her, and each reminder of her pains you so much that your facade cracks the slightest._

_  
No one will know that your facade has so many cracks in it, that it’s nearly about to shatter. And when your facade shatters, you don’t know what will happen. It scares you so much, you feel like breaking down and sobbing._

 

_Don’t let anyone in. If you do, you’ll lose control again. You’ll kill everyone again, and drive the ones you don’t kill away. It’ll just be a repeat of the same thing over and over again. Like a cycle. And you can’t break that cycle, no matter how hard you try, because it’s no use. Why would anyone want to be close to someone like **you,** anyway? You’re nothing but a wimpy, weak, whimpering coward. You’re hideous. No one will love you in that way ever again. You just have to accept that already._

 

“Hmmm.” Drakath answered, tapping his lips with his left index finger, his eyes ravenous and calculating. It was as if he was trying to break into my mind and reveal how I truly felt towards the situation. I flinched slightly under his gaze, but kept my same, cynical expression. I could not show weakness in front of him. That was the worst thing I could possibly do. If I did, he’d find out. He’d tell everyone that I was nothing but weak and worthless, and my entire faction would riducle me.

 

“I appreciate you being helpful, but I would rather much enjoy the pleasure of breaking her myself.” Drakath mused, still keeping his back turned to me. “You make a very good candidate for the faction. You’re bloodthirsty, confident, and always eager to tear apart someone for me. I like that.” He then began to walk away. “But remember – this is a warning. If I catch you caring for that girl one more time, our next meeting will not be as positive.”  
  
And in a flash, he was gone.

 

_No….that’s not true._

 

_I’m not bad. I’m not. I’m not bad. I’m not….I’m not bad._

 

_I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad. I’m not bad._

 

_I’m_

_not_

_bad._

 

 _Get out of my head before I do what I know is best for me._  
Get out of my head before I listen to everything he said to me.  
Get out of my head before I show you how much I love her.

_Get out of my head before I finally break._

 

 _Get out….I beg of you._  
  
Please, just leave me alone….

 

 

**~Adam~**

 

I can’t believe it….

 

It’s not true. It can’t be true. I’m just dreaming, is all. I’ll wake up, I swear. I’ll wake up and she’ll be sleeping in the bed right next to mine. Hazel eyes. Strawberry blonde hair. Pale skin. Every part of her will be there. She’ll be there with me, safe and sound.

 

I don’t even know what’s going on. Is she even still alive? Or am I just being delirious?

First my father, and then my friend. My mother is already bedridden. Will she be next? Then will they come for me?

 

I’m so scared, it feels like my heart’s going to burst out of my chest. I can’t believe this. Why would someone be so cruel? Why would someone tear them away from the people they love the most? What’s wrong with this world?  
  
Of course, I can’t say that without being a hypocrite, but I truly cared for her. No matter how I try to put it into words, it just doesn’t come out. Even though in this body I fear she will never care for me in the same way I do for her, it doesn’t matter. I feel alive with her. With her, nothing else matters. Nothing at all.

 

I heard the doorbell ring.

 

Usually, when the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it’s never good news.

 

I was woken by the first chime. My eyes flickered open but for a moment I stayed completely in my bed, lying on my back with my head resting on the pillow. The bell rang a second time and I looked at the clock beside me. Two minuts past three o’clock in the morning.

 

I rolled out of bed and walked over to the open window, my bare feet pressing down the carpet pile. The moonlight spilled onto my chest and shoulders. Adam Galanos was eighteen, well-built, with the body of an athlete. His hair, cut short apart from two thick strands hanging over his forehead, was ginger. His eyes were orange, yet serious. For a moment I stood silently, half-hidden in the shadow, looking out. From the second-floor window I could see the many armoured knights outside. The porch light went on.

 

I went downstairs and opened the door.

 

“Mr Galanos?”

 

“What is it? What’s happened?”  
  
“This is the home of Sara Dreadgood?”  


“Yes.

 

“I wonder if we could come in….”  
  
And I already knew.I knew from the way the leader stood there, awkward and unhappy. But I also knew from the tone of their voices. Funeral voices….that was how I would describe them. The sort of voices people use when they come to tell you that someone close to you has died.

 

“I’m afraid that Sara Dreadgood was kidnapped by Drakath Slugwrath, the champion of chaos.”  
  
My blood turned cold.

 

“I’m so sorry. We’ll leave you now to give you time to process this.”

 

And all of a sudden, they were gone.

 

Once someone is taken by him, there’s no hope. There’s no going back. Hans was taken in the exact same way.

 

She’s probably dead now, the poor thing? What was her death like? Was it quick and painless? Or, the opposite?

 

Either way, chaos is going to pay.

 

 

_They’re all going to pay for murdering Sara._

 

 


	3. River turns Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HI SO A LOT OF SHIT HAPPENS HERE
> 
> I MIGHT CHANGE IT TO MATURE BECAUSE SHIT GOES DOWN BUT UM  
> IDK  
> HELP
> 
> so vath is emo af and very pretty as a woman and sara hates drinking and i want to hug wolfwing and kimberly and khaasanda are beautiful and there's a creep and we meet adam again....A-Adam!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO THERE'S A SCENE WITH A CREEP, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IF THAT TRIGGERS YOU THEN SCROLL AWAY. I'LL WRITE IN THE CHAPTER WHEN IT GETS SOUR AND WHEN IT'S SAFE TO READ AGAIN.

“ _I should not treat the lives of mortals and chaos lords as equal. I may be a member of the insane clan that walks our streets and viewing them equally would repudiate my status as being apart of chaos; judging the mortals is not my provocative; that is for Lorithia to do. Even so, I am still apart of chaos; certainly, the answer should be obvious._ The villagers are growing farther and farther apart. I cannot even understand what I am doing, nor can I control it. In this state, how can I hope to understand others? When everyone else is still certain, why must I question everything I do? We are shrouded, spiritual darkness surrounds us, and we cannot escape..”

 

*** * ***

 

 ** ~ ** **Sara~**

 

 

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and we were separated, like lovers torn from each other. There stood the man himself. The human incarnation of pond scum himself – _Drakath_. He still looked as dull and tired as he usually did, with that ‘eyeliner’ of his. His sharp, grave green eyes were fixated on me and Vath, but more on him rather than me. He rushed towards us and ushered Vath out of the room, leaving with him. Before I could react, I was all alone once more.

I didn’t expect him to stay, though. Everyone abandons me. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

 

Now that I was on my own once more, I had more time to examine my surroundings and get more information. But before I could, I heard gentle mumbles outside the door the two left. Curiosity got the better of me, and I swiftly, but silently pressed a glass against the door, to check what was going on. What I heard though, was a lot more sinister than I had expected it to be. But of course, I wasn’t back in Faith anymore. Heck, I don’t even think I’m in the same world as that place. I should have assumed this hellhole was far more sinister than it was depicted as.

 

“ _I bring hostages in for interrogation, torture, and to silence them. That is what I do. As my lord and servant, I expect you to do the same on exceptions that you cannot interact with them. I expect you to stay silent, loyal, and observant. That is all.”_

 

“ _What I do not expect you to do is to befriend and comfort them, which was what you were doing.”_

 

What’s his problem? It’s not like he’s the king of the world. He shouldn’t assign people to some roles and force them to play out those parts. People should have the rights to act on their own. If you think otherwise, then there’s something seriously wrong with you.

 

“ _You shan’t worry about it.”_

 

“ _It was absolutely nothing. I promise. I just….pitied her. That is all.”_

 

I don’t think he knows the definition of pity. If he truly felt bad for me he wouldn’t have sucked my blood without my consent. That’d just make him feel guilty. If he can even feel guilt, that is!

I just think he wants to warn me, is all.

 

“ _Are you sure?”_

 

Yes, he’s sure. Why don’t you open this door now, so I can kick you in the face for being such a brat to everyone and for kidnapping me?

 

“ _She has quite nice eyes. They’re brown, but they also have hints of green, red…. And so much more. They’re extremely big, too. Her hair is quite long, isn’t it? Ginger, but not quite; it’s more blonde. And she’s got a mortal complexion too.”_

 

Did he just call me a ginger? I’ll have his guts for garters!

 

“ _What are you implying?”_

 

Yes, what IS Drakath implying? Lorithia, he’s so weird sometimes….

 

“ _But even though her eyes have that strange combination, it’s that yellow glow that stands out most of all. Yellow, just like the young Celia, is that correct?”_

 

Who the hell is her? Am I supposed to know her or something?  
Wait, was she that woman in my vision? Why don’t I know any of the people here?! What’s wrong with me?! AHHH!

 

“ _Celia_.”

 

“ _Boy, I haven’t heard that name in ages. It seems like aeons ago.”_

 

Okay, good. She’s dead. That means I don’t have to encounter her in the halls when doing my daily stuff. I can literally just imagine her going “Oh, Hi Sara! How are you?”  
And then I’d just be like: “Uhhhh….hey...gurll...I’m chill, what’s up??”

UGH, KILL ME NOW!

 

“ _She was such a darling, was she not? So innocent. So naive. So full of life. So when our daughter inherited those traits, I knew her kindness would carry on.”_

 

“ _Our child was to be the heir to the drow throne. But with such kindness, sympathy and innocence, that couldn’t happen. They had to go.”_

 

Wh….

 

“ _Would you like me to wipe out Miss Dreadgood’s innocence, too? I wouldn’t mind. After all, since I have done it before, it would be nothing but child’s play for someone like me.”_

 

Wh- Wh….Who is that? He wouldn’t-

 

“ _Hmmm.”_

 

Don’t just “Hmmm” that thing! Something’s wrong with that guy! Take him to an exorcist! He’s speaking in tongues! He threatened to KILL me! People don’t do that!

Well….it could be worse.

 

“ _I appreciate you being helpful, but I would rather much enjoy the pleasure of breaking her myself.”_

 

…..It’s worse. It’s gotten worse.

 

“ _You make a very good candidate for the faction. You’re bloodthirsty, confident, and always eager to tear apart someone for me. I like that.”_

 

Are you sure we’re talking about the same person here?

 

“ _But remember – this is a warning. If I catch you caring for that girl one more time, our next meeting will not be as positive.”_

 

N- No….

 

The door opened, and I didn’t even realise it. The glass I was using to hear through the door shattered onto the ground in numerous pieces – probably millions. I didn’t even realise that I had cut myself on it as well, due to the shock I was in. The glass fell like falling snow on a cold winters morning. But even that didn’t distract me. My eyes were focused on the man standing in the doorway, looking right down at me. I felt fear. I was scared – like my heart was going to burst out of my chest at any moment. Like I was going to die. I felt the exact same fear on the day Hans was murdered.

 

He was going to kill me. Even though we had bonded, and he had comforted me, he was still going to kill me. Whether I liked it or not. It was such a shame. He had cradled me close, like a mother would do to her child. I had no mother to do such thing, so it confused me. He told me that when I had awoken to find myself in Adrainne’s no longer, everything was going to turn out just fine. He had held my fears at bay when I needed them held at most. He was like the father figure I never had in life, the man that put my biological father and mother to shame. Despite his appearance, his powers, and his arrogance, he truly is, or could be, a wonderful parent. Any child to have him would be lucky.

 

Even though he is chaorrupted, I’d be lucky to have him as a father. I’d choose him over my parents any day. And now this man – this man who had protected me, cared for me, comforted me and assured me just like any parent would do, is going to be the one to end my journey here, and end it all for me. It was so bizarre, that I could simply not put my head around the matter, and refused to. It was just too harsh for me.

 

“Why?”  
  
I heard a tiny voice that broke me from my thoughts. What I had realised is that Vath was the one who had spoken these words to me.

 

“Why did you have to hear that? Are you truly just that curious that you think you can just invade in conversations?”

 

Blue eyes.

 

“What sort of being _are_ you?”

 

He bent down, and attempted to lift his hand down in an order to touch my head – he may have patted it, rubbed it, or done anything to it. But I flinched under his hand, and therefore he pulled away. “Leave me alone.” I murmured. “ _Please_.” After I spoke those words, Vath turned his back to me, mumbling to himself. He was saying all kinds of things, but I was unable to decipher them as they were too low in volume. But he then spoke something that truly shocked me.

 

“Everyone gets scared. I do too. Sometimes, it’s so scary, I forget how to breathe.”  
  
What?

 

He turned back to me. “I do apologise you had to hear that. But you must know that during that period of time, I was not in my right state of mind.” He began to walk towards me. I did not back away, but I scrutinised every step he took, like a hawk. Was he going to kill me? Please, leave me alone. Just leave me alone, please. Please….

 

He hugged me.

 

“I loved her with all my heart.” He began to weep. “I still do.”

 

“I had to sacrifice my humanity to save the life of my child. She was dying – dying fast. My wife had left me because she couldn’t cope with the burden of her daughter and her illness. After that, how was I supposed to support her and myself on my own? Clearly, it was too much for one person. That’s why I made a deal with Slugwrath.”

 

That statement made me perk up in surprise. “You….made a _deal_ with him?” I asked. I couldn’t believe this. Was this true? The truth was, I didn’t even know myself. And it frightened me. “But why? Why would you do such a thing? How could you sacrifice your mortality, to make someone else live on?” I sat, stunned. “I’ve never heard of a deed as braver as yours.”

 

“She was my child. A father does _everything_ to protect their children.

Even if they have to protect their child from themselves in the near future.”

 

Vath turned his head away, making sure I was unable to see him crying. Unfortunately, I’d already seen them, and started to dry his tears. “Hey.” I poked him in the cheek, forcing him to turn around.

“I may not understand most of your motives, but I’ll be honest here. You might be one of the most bravest people I’ve ever met.” I continued. “Heck, dying for a member of your _fam….ily_ ….that’s something….something I’d never imagine myself doing in my entire lifetime, no matter the circumstances.”

 

“I say, forget about them. Well, not your daughter, of course. You don’t have to forget her. But forget your wife. Screw her! She seems like a horrible person!” I turned away in anger after mentioning Celia. “She abandoned that girl when she needed her mother the most. And then, she just takes off without a second thought! I’d have killed her if I were you!”

 

On the word ‘killed’, Vath flinched. My eyes widened in fear after seeing that movement. That was a sign he was hiding something.

 

“You really did it, didn’t you? He was right, was he not?” I sighed. I didn’t show any emotion, which was surprising. When I saw that Hans had died, and many others, including my parents, I did show emotion. But for Celia, I did not. Perhaps this was because of the way she had treated Vath and their daughter. But I’ll never know. I’ll never know what really happened that day. And to be honest? I’d love to. I’d love to see someone in their last minutes of life. That is something I have seen for many times, and has driven me to obsession of a person’s last moments. It’s strange when I think about it. But each time, it drives me to exhilaration. It makes me feel _alive_ , when someone is that close to death. It makes me feel like I am taking away their life forces.

 

But the feeling of taking someone’s life force is a feeling I would rather forget.

 

I remember the time I had escaped from my parents in Skullholme. I met Adam, and my father came demanding for me back. He tried to attack us, but I struck first. I remember how crimson his and mother’s blood was, fusing with mine. The agonised screams coming from their mouths met no one – well, no one who wished to save them. Their eyes grew cloudy and empty, and they slowly began to close. The complete opposite of my blank, wide-eyed expression. They twitched and scrambled to get free, but their movements soon slowed as they grew weaker. As soon as their eyes closed and their hearing went, their heart would take its very last beat and the blood in their veins would still. Then, they would die. That day, I felt something. I felt as if their energy had fused with mine.

  
And it scared me. Shook me to my bones, even. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Like I had been whacked, and I hadn’t even expected it.

 

The sound of the door opening shook me out of my thoughts, and me and Vath instantly separated from one another. Luckily, it wasn’t Drakath standing in the doorway. It was the wolf-vampire hybird that was in here earlier. I looked up at him. He really did look very intimidating up close, didn’t he? With those sharp teeth, big eyes, and horrifically matted fur. His fur was crying for a wash, cut and blow-dry.

 

“We’re going down to Yulgar’s tonight. Do you two wanna come along? We don’t care.” The werepyre asked us, leaning casually against the doorway so his huge bulk of a body was shown off. Vath opened his eyes once more and they materialised into the ever so terrifying amethyst, then turned to me. “Would you like to go?” He asked me, reaching out with his hand. “If you wish not to, I can stay with you. I would hate to leave you on your own with….” he trailed off, as the werepyre was present and he could tell on him.

 

I nodded, accepting the invitation. “Great!” The werepyre grinned. “Well, we’re all meeting down at the inn in ten minutes. Get on your best gear and go!” he ran outside, slamming the door closed. The sound of the door slamming was so loud, that Vath had to hold his hands over his ears to block the sound due to his sensitive hearing. Once the werepyre was gone, Vath slowly lowered his hands from his ears, and then turned to me, a sour look on his face.

“He _really_ needs to learn how to close doors properly.” The drow retorted.

 

* * *

 

“So I said….”

 

And then there was an enormous eruption of laughter coming from our table. Like hyenas, they kept on going at it until their faces rivalled the brightest, ripest, reddest tomatoes.

 

All of a sudden, the black-haired girl with blue eyes, Kimberly, leaned her head against the troll girl, Khaasanda’s shoulder, and smirked. “Kim, you’re drunk! You should get some rest!” The young girl exclaimed, showing concern for the band member who had clearly had far too much to drink. “And you’re sexy.” Kimberly purred to the troll. The young troll girl, Khaasanda, started to whimper and groan when she heard the singer speak those words. “You guys! Kimberly’s creeping me out again! Ugh, I can’t believe you made me stick with her!”

 

“Ohh….Khaasanda, Khaasanda! I love you so much! Khaasanda, Khaasanda! You are so….” Kimberly began a tangent of love letters drunkenly for the young troll girl. “….buff?”

 

“Excuse me?! What did you say?!” The troll girl glared at the singer. “I may not have a model’s body, but I still deserve some respect! Plus, if you’re better built, you can hold your drink better.” Khaasanda glared at the young singer, who was desperately grasping onto her hips by now, desperate to lean into the young girl’s touch. Apparently from what I’ve seen, Kimberly is a romantic drunk. So that means I have to stay away from her as much as possible to avoid being traumatised.

 

“Oh, it’s on!” Kimberely told her, glaring at her. All of a sudden, the entire bar erupted in cheer. Almost everyone crowded around both of them. It appears that Kimberly has just challenged Khaasanda to a drinking contst, and the majority of the bar was heavily agreeing to her idea.

 

“You are going to lose.” she said as she set down a pint in front of Khaasanda.

 

“What?” She looked up, the yellow light of the tavern lanterns reflected in her amber eyes.

 

“You said you could beat me at drinking.” She sat down across from her, announcing her challenge to the whole room. “So let’s settle this, once and for all.”

 

“You do not want to do this.” She gripped the handle of her pint, looking into the liquid.

 

“Oh no you don’t.” Kimberly pulled hers close with a grin. It looked as if she was tired of the troll ruining all of her fun. “Because you know I will win.”

 

“And what will the prize be?” Khaasanda said, leaning back on her stool, with a grin on her face.

 

“A kiss from the most beautiful girl alive.” she smirked, winking at her.

 

“You can’t even finish that, you’re tiny!” she finally smiled as she pointed to Kimberly’s drink.

 

I heard shuffling around me and I saw that the other members of the tavern had risen from their seats and grew even closer to us. Wolfwing and Kitsune’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Vath looked disproving. Iadoa curious, and the rest a mixture of the two.

 

“Go on, Kim!” Wolfwing said, cheering. “You can beat her! There’s no pride in out drinking a girl!”

 

“Someone who could drink you blind.” Khaasanda growled across the top of her pint, before she brought it to her mouth, upending down her throat. She gulped it down easily before slamming the pint back down, the members of the inn around us fell into a dead silence.

 

“Very well. We’ll see who’s blind at the end of this night!” The singer downed her ale with little effort and Wolfwing arrived with two more pints, him and Iadoa looking down at them with utter curiosity and fascination.

 

“Cheers.” Kimberly lifted the pint and poured it down her throat smoothly. Khaasanda did the same, the two fo them crashing them down almost simultaneously.

 

“You can still bow out with grace, Kim.” Khaasanda offered, her voice like venom.

 

“So can you.” she motioned for Wolfwing to fetch two more. “Sweet.” She took the third pint with longing, looking deep into Khaasanda’s eyes before she gulped it down.

 

“Who’s keeping count?” Iadoa asked. Was he allowed to roam around?

  
“I am!” Wolfwing offered. “They certainly aren’t.”  
  
“They should be...” Vath reproached though he did nothing to keep Wolfwing from setting down two more pints.

 

“Thank you.” Kimberly said, swirling the dark ale before once again emptying it.

 

As she set the pint back on the table beside the others, a wave of dizziness washed over her, but she kept herself from swaying. She looked across to Khaasanda, her eyes were slightly clouded from the drink already.

 

“Another!” she shouted, throwing her hair back over her shoulders.

 

“Last chance to place a bet!” Wolfwing called from behind as I heard coins clinking.

 

“Best not lose your gold on this fool.” she took the next pint and swished it towards Khaasanda, before she slurped it down. “Only a fool could think she has a chance against me.” Her own voice was beginning to drag, though there was a slight wobble to Khaasanda’s head.

 

“You dare call me a fool.” Two more pints on the table. “I could kill you where you stand.”

 

“My ass.” Kimberly toasted and drank, the two of them brought their hands down in time. Khaasanda burped loudly and Kimberly held onto the table. “Wolfwing, more!”

 

“Oh, looks like they’re in for it now!” Kitsune gasped, and laughter erupted from the audience the two had attracted.

 

“You haven’t a chance.” Khaasanda slurred as she took her next pint and Kimberly looked at hers.

 

“Stop talking and start drinking.” she tipped the next into her stomach where it swished with the rest. “Wolfwing, you wrench, another!” she ordered and Wolfwing gave her a sharp look, though he obeyed.

 

Kimberly stared at Khaasanda, though her eyes wouldn’t stop moving, and brought the next pint to her lips. The liquid was thick but she made herself swallow the last drop. She lowered hers as Khaasanda lowered hers and the two of them seemed to sway in unison.

 

“Right, that’s enough.” Vath ordered as he kept Wolfwing from placing the next two, which made me sigh with relief. “They’ve had enough.”

 

“No, no...” Khaasanda insisted. “I need to kill her!”’

 

“You are drunk.” Vath reproached. “Now no more.”

“Oh, you are no fun.” Kimberly moaned.

 

“The lot of you go back to what you were doing and stop encouraging these two.” Vath sounded serious.

 

The men and women gave frowns and returned to their seats, though they kept glancing over at our table. Kimberly held herself steady against the edge of the table and they continued with their staring contest. “One more and you’d have been out.” she rolled across her tongue.

 

“Sure.” Khaasanda’s voice was thick. “If that helps you sleep at night.”

“It is too bad we will never know.” she pushed herself up from the table. “At least, not this night. I will find out one day.”

 

“Drakath is going to kill them.” I heard one of them snicker.  
  
“He doesn’t have an excuse. He’s dating that chaos knight, Exos, is he not?” Another one retorted.

 

I excused myself from the table. Walking away from that scene was the best thing I could do.

 

Why would I want to be near a bunch of drunken idiots? There wasn’t any benefit to being around them, and it would be better for my own health and safety if I was alone.

 

I left that place.

 

* * *

 

CREEP ALERT!!! I shivered as a cold breeze hit me. I should’ve brought a jacket, I know, but it would look kind of horrible. Wearing a gown with a jean jacket? It would be a never ending lecture from my peers about being ‘un-ladylike’. So for now I would have to hope for a miracle in this cold weather. A cold gust of wind hit my arms and chest as I trembled, teeth chattering. I’m never going with them again. Period.

 

“Cold are we? Why don’t you come over here and I’ll warm you up with my body heat.” A deep scratchy voice said, no doubt smirking. I shivered in disgust. Men these days really thought they could get someone with a few cheesy lines. I find it disturbing and astonishing. I saw a shadow in the alleyway that I was passing and shook my head at him. No way was I going over there into that paedophiles nest. I never go into alleyways – they’re hideous.

 

I heard a crunch behind me and automatically looked back. It was the same figure as the shadow in the alleyway. He was following me. My pulse quickened in fright, as I looked around, hoping there were witnesses. My legs moved faster when I came up empty handed. The man behind me let out a sinister chuckle and I looked back again. He had come out of the shadows and looked as I expected him to appear. A short, stubby old man, who had receding white hair and a short beard. I could never underestimate predators. He gave me a toothless grin and sped up his walking, trying to catch up with me but falling. He had a limp in his step making him lose speed.

 

He should really get that checked out.

 

“Following me now, are we?” I mimicked him as I turned the corner. I had complete and utterly no idea where I was, but I was pretty sure I was on the ‘bad side’ of town. I always thought I was warned about this side of town because my old family believed the lower class were ‘scum’. I always rolled my eyes at their beliefs. Now I know they warned me for an entirely different reason. I wasn’t supposed to be afraid of a man who probably wouldn’t be able to catch up to me. But, the adrenaline was set in, and the situation itself was something that I’ve never encountered before.

 

“Yoo hoo!~ Come get a piece of this, baby!~”

 

What the f….

 

I turned my head around to lock eyes with what seemed to be a woman. She looked like a model – wisps of white locks seemed to float like an aura of light around her. Her eyes and lashes were full and bright, in comparison to the old man’s empty dark ones. She had thick, full brows, along with facial features that seemed to be a personal blessing to her from Lorithia herself. She donned herself with a red maxi dress that was split at the side, revealing her heavily muscular leg that shimmered in the dim light. In fact, she was positively glowing. Her plunged neckline revealed her chest, that seemed to be extremely full which resulted in a very voluptuous figure that made even myself stare.

 

She sashayed in a provocative manner towards the practically decaying old man, exaggerating her curvy hips to the point she could have dislocated them, flipping her white locks. She walked past me with a smirk

 

She was a drow, with pink eyes and perfectly sculpted elf ears that ended just a little over her head.

 

_It got worse._

 

The ‘woman’ pressed her breasts together in an attempt to seduce the old man, smirking in a perverted manner. “You could get with an inexperienced little morsel, but how about you go with someone a lot more experienced?~” The woman said, pronouncing each syllable at a snails pace, getting closer to the man by each second. “You want a little more, right?~”

 

I physically felt myself cringe when I heard that. This better work, because I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if it doesn’t. We could be arrested, kidnapped...or we could meet a morbid fate. Even thinking about it made my skin crawl and I felt myself backing away by the second, in hopes that the man didn’t notice my departure. I was able to back myself against a wall that covered me without anyone noticing so I could still hear what was going on.

 

“Hng, yeah...give daddy some sugar...” The old man whimpered, and I heard weird moist sounds along with moans. I tried to ignore them.

 

“Take it off.” He demanded, while I heard more sounds.

 

“Well, there’s something you’ll have to know before that...” The woman said towards the old man in a kind tone, full of such love that it was practically sickening.

 

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” He asked, laughing like a fool. Oh, he was in for it now.

 

“I have a _DICK!_ ” Vath’s voice suddenly dropped two full octaves as I saw him lifting his red stiletto and piercing the man right in his ballsack, being able to easily apprehend him in the process. When I came out, knowing that the chaos was gone, he rubbed off his crimson lipstick, smearing it on the man’s face. He then summoned up as much saliva as he could and then spat in the old man’s face before knocking him out with a singular blow from a black prada bag he had brought.

 

“Do all mortals have such unhealthy libidos, or is that _thing_ just an anomaly?” He turned to ask me, trying his best to peel off false lashes while keeping his pitch. “Ouch! These are quite painful...you don’t mind...” He asked. I stepped into his stiletto on the floor to gain some height and reached out, gripping onto the loose lashes. I counted to three and then ripped them off his face as fast as I could.

He let out a scream that could have rivalled a banshee, and I knew this statement was correct as his yell even alarmed birds that were resting on overhead power lines, and they frantically scattered to avoid the danger.

 

“I am never wearing those again.” He groaned, rubbing his reddened eyelids. Once he no longer felt any pain he stopped and stared for a few seconds and then looked over to the old man. “I’m hungry.” He turned and grabbed the old man by the neck. He hesitated, then ran his tongue across his neck, examining his vitals.

 

“He’s physically and mentally well, just a bit old. I’ve had worse.” That was when he dug his fangs into the man’s neck and began to drain him of his blood. A trickle of red fell down the man’s neck and Vath lapped it up like a starving child. He was done after a few minutes; he licked his lips and dropped the man on his face. “He isn’t dead if you’re wondering.” He replied to my trauma-stricken face, walking over to me. “I sucked just enough to make him feel like shit.”

 

Vath’s face then turned to immediate concern when he was close enough. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, keeping me in a close embrace that made me feel a little more warm inside than I usually did. My ear was leaned exactly on the centre of his chest, and what I expected was a little bit different than what I got. I did not hear beats coming from his chest.

 

“Why did you run away?” He asked with deep concern laced in his voice. “That’s an extremely irresponsible thing to do! You could’ve been...”

 

“Why…?”

  
“killed, for Lorithia’s sake! What am I going to do with you?! You need to understand that it’s not..”

 

“Why don’t you…?”

 

“safe here! Do you understand?”

 

I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. I wanted to clear my head.” I murmured, looking into his eyes to show I was genuine. “I don’t really like being around people that are drunk. I’m sorry.”

 

Vath sighed and unwrapped himself. “You should have informed one of us.” He then took an orange out of his chest. "Want one?" I took one willingly.

 

When he turned to walk, I asked him what was on my mind.

 

“Are you dead?”

 

He froze, and turned to me.

 

“The only thing you need to know is that being under contract with Drakath Slugwrath is not what it seems.”

 

We returned to the inn in silence.

 

* * *

 

“Do you know where Escherion is?!” A sudden, paranoid fox grabbed Vath by the shoulders as soon as we returned. “We...we don’t know where he went off to.” He seemed to be in extreme peril.

  
“Whatever’s the matter?” Vath asked in curiosity. “He’s probably turned himself into a frog again and got stuck in the toilet. I’ll go check.” He then strode off, still wearing one singular ruby red stiletto. I quickly followed. He seemed like the most sober here. I instantly regretted thinking that because he then tripped, causing the public to stare. An orange fell out of his chest. He then got up.

 

“I should probably take this off.”

 

He then slid the stiletto off and got back into his shoes, walking upstairs. He knocked in such a manner that was unique to a normal knock. “Frog boy? Is everything alright?” Vath asked, which made us both crack up in laughter. “Did you get stuck down the toilet again? It’s alright, we all make mistakes!~”

 

There was no reply, which made Vath quirk an eyebrow in surprise. All we heard were quietened, hushed whispers.

 

“I’m going in.” Vath said, grabbing a hairpin and picking the lock. This made me jump in surprise.

 

“Wait! What if he’s on the toilet?!” I immediately retorted, trying to snatch the pin off of him. “I don’t want to see someone doing their business! That’s disgusting, totally unethical and a breach of privacy!” Even though I tried to convince him, he broke the lock, and forcefully opened the door. “I won’t believe that something bad has happened.”

 

I’d never experienced such an oppressive atmosphere before, and I couldn’t help but hold my breath in anticipation. Vath was very sudden in opening the door, but it’s always sudden.

The door to despair always opens suddenly.

 

In that moment, time seemed to freeze. It was like a live performance had just ended. That moment of silence just before the audience breaks out in thunderous applause. I saw the true source of the intense malice that I had been feeling. What greeted us was what could only be described as a world of dripping crimson. The second nightmare of the day was waiting there for me. Those words I spoke had been mercilessly shattered into pieces. I could never get them back.

 

I completely forgot – hope means nothing here.

I should have never believed I could have been happy here.

 

“Sara?” I heard a familiar voice.

 

Adam.

 

It was Adam. He was here.

 

And he was holding a knife that was covered with the blood and guts of a poor, torn apart mage.

 

If looks could kill, then I’m not sure he would be here now – Vath gave him such an intense glare that his eyes were practically bulging out of his skull.

 

And it took me a moment to realise I had been screaming all along.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for the extremely long wait?? It took me years to make this LMAO im screaming  
> also it’s kinda bad and lazy in parts because I really wanted to finish it….and it’s super long...jfc….
> 
> I’m going to bed bye merry chrysler fuckers


	4. Homewrecker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> let's continue where we left off. shall we?

“In the end, we all have the same wish; it is childish and primordial, but permanent. It is like a yearning for the maternal, we may be human, or apart of chaos; but we still want to be embraced, and protected from all that is out there waiting to hurt us. Who does not share that wish? Who does not have that yearning? There can be no doubt, the village is in serious danger of chaos. The threat is real. They need to be saved. Unless someone takes action, this village will be annihilated; and yet, I cannot make peace with the fact that my friend Adam tortured and killed a lord of chaos. I cannot. What is wrong with me that I cannot fight the enemy?   
….Maybe it’s because I am one….”  
  
* * *   
  
~Sara~  
  
  
“Frog boy? Is everything alright?” Vath asked, which made us both crack up in laughter. “Did you get stuck down the toilet again? It’s alright, we all make mistakes!~”   
  
There was no reply, which made Vath quirk an eyebrow in surprise. All we heard were quietened, hushed whispers.   
  
“I’m going in.” Vath said, grabbing a hairpin and picking the lock. This made me jump in surprise.   
  
“Wait! What if he’s on the toilet?!” I immediately retorted, trying to snatch the pin off of him. “I don’t want to see someone doing their business! That’s disgusting, totally unethical and a breach of privacy!” Even though I tried to convince him, he broke the lock, and forcefully opened the door. “I won’t believe that something bad has happened.”  
  
I’d never experienced such an oppressive atmosphere before, and I couldn’t help but hold my breath in anticipation. Vath was very sudden in opening the door, but it’s always sudden.  
The door to despair always opens suddenly.   
  
In that moment, time seemed to freeze. It was like a live performance had just ended. That moment of silence just before the audience breaks out in thunderous applause. I saw the true source of the intense malice that I had been feeling. What greeted us was what could only be described as a world of dripping crimson. The second nightmare of the day was waiting there for me. Those words I spoke had been mercilessly shattered into pieces. I could never get them back.   
  
I completely forgot – hope means nothing here.   
I should have never believed I could have been happy here.   
  
“Sara?” I heard a familiar voice.   
  
Adam.  
  
It was Adam. He was here.   
  
And he was holding a knife that was covered with the blood and guts of a poor, torn apart mage.  
  
If looks could kill, then I’m not sure he would be here now – Vath gave him such an intense glare that his eyes were practically bulging out of his skull.  
  
And it took me a moment to realise I had been screaming all along.  
  
The battlemage Escherion was now reduced to nothing but a limped cadaver on the floor. His stomach had been torn open, and his organs were all out on display in a sickening manner. For a moment, I completely ignored Adam, and walked over to Escherion in a catatonic state. I hunched over, putting my grip on the cadaver's hand. It was cold, but quite clammy due to his sliced stomach. I held my breath as I pulled his hand out of his stomach; shaking it gently, trying not to get any internal organs or guts onto me.  
  
Life and death are like two sides of the same coin. Yet even knowing that, I found his death untimely and tragic. He must have imagined a future for himself; there were still days of joy and days of sorrow lying before him. His death could reinforce his fear of being unable to fulfil his ambitions and dreams, keep his promises and to never be able to live a better life, while dying young and never being able to have a family or special someone in their life and to experience the joys and frustrations of everyday adult life. I still remember who he used to be, who he was related to, what he was like, what his life was like before that horrible incident and what his life could have been like if he never had been spotted by the cruel, heartless disease that day; not knowing that fate had him locked in place, and his life was going to be snuffed out. For days on end, I could not help but feel that someone had stolen those precious moments from him. Death is part of life, but his felt wrong.  
  
What about the others? How would they react if they discovered this truth? How would his mother  react if she realised that her son was unable to come home ever again? Would she cry, thinking of that grinning, cocky face, that was now tainted with his own blood? How would the others react if they realised they had to just move on, and go on with their lives?   
  
“Oh, Sara….y-you’re alive….” Adam was overjoyed, a happy, smiling face that lit up just like the stars did that one night we slept together right in front of them. It would be bizarre to think that this expression belonged to a man that had just murdered one of my friends, but this was somehow the truth. He wrapped me up in a hug, tears spilling from his cheeks. “I’ve pictured this day in my dreams for months….I….I never thought we’d reunite in these circumstances, but….”  
  
I refused to accept this. I refused to accept that a man could be killed off just for some sick perversion. I imagine that the rest would have thought the same. It raged deep inside of me, like an urge that could not be suppressed. I took my anger out on Adam.  
  
“What the fuck are you?” I asked him, my own voice in a hoarse whisper. “I don’t care what you look like. You are not Adam Galanos.” With all the strength I could muster, I pushed him off me, standing back to overlook on the area. Unfortunately, this was no dream. Adam had just cut Escherion’s stomach open and slit his throat mere moments ago, as the blood was still fresh and trickled thin just like water would, down his face and down his body, onto the ground.  
  
Drip. Drip. Drip.  
  
“Sara, it’s really me, I promise.” Adam pleaded, grabbing my hand, for me to only shove it away. “They told me you were kidnapped by Drakath Slugwrath. I didn’t know what to think, I….I thought they had killed you, tortured you….made you a slave….so….I wanted to make them pay….pay….for what they did….B….but you’re here now….y-you’re….alive….” He stammered, panicked, as if he were experiencing a panic attack.  
  
“It’s okay, my love….” Adam reached out to caress my face. “My darling….my shimmering starlight. We can go home now. Back to Adrainne.” The look he gave me was so soft, so caring, that I felt myself being pulled in. “Would you like to go back home?”   
  
I looked deep into his eyes. Those amber orange clouds of wonder reminded me so much of the sunsets that we would look across while waiting for stars to show. The orange trees in the capital of Faith. The pumpkins we would carve for each mogloween.   
  
Even though I hated to admit it, I did miss those times. I truly did. I wanted to go back home to Faith – not just for Adam, but for Adrainne, the townspeople….  
  
My freedom….  
  
I wanted him to take and hold me in his arms, just like we did so long ago. My body and heart trembled for his affection, but my brain snapped at these thoughts and put them in their place. Even though I wished to be in the position where I was all those years ago, I cannot.   
  
Because I can no longer be on their side.   
  
I slapped him away.   
  
“You lost my consent to leave this place when you decided to snuff out the life of my ally. You have no place by my side.” I responded coldly. “Leave, and never return.”   
  
“It’s funny how you say that, sissy.”   
  
What?  
  
There’s no way….  
  
Someone stepped out, dressed head to toe in doomknight armour.  
  
Wasn’t the Galanos clan tied to King Alteon?   
  
What’s going on?   
  
The doomknight took off their helm, revealing themselves to be a female with hair that was borderline fiery red, dark brown eyes the colour of earth and pasty, white skin. She looked quite young, and had to be at least in her early to late teenage years. How did she get onto the battlefield at such a young age?   
  
No. This has to be a trick. There’s no way she was….  
  
“If it isn’t my big sister Sara.” She let out a smirk. “Tell me. How have you been, socialising with the murderers?”   
  
That made me snap. “They are NOT murderers!” I shouted back. My mind instantly raced back to what Vath had told me of what he and many others had been through. “Most of them didn’t make their decision out of choice! They’re amazing, talented people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, I swear! They’re not who they’re made out to be!” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. The words were racing out of my mind, uncontrollably. I didn’t even think that was me anymore.  
  
“I’m not so sure about that.” She stretched. “You know, I think you made the right decision. You belong right in there.”  
  
“Since you killed our parents.”  
  
I felt like I had been shot in the heart.  
  
No.  
  
No..  
  
No…   
  
You know I didn’t mean it. You have to…  
You were there all those years ago. If you were just a bit older, you’d have understood….  
  
“She needs to go – I’m so sick of her! Why can’t we just throw her out with the trash, it’s where she belongs.”  
  
“She’s such a waste of space and skin, I don’t even know why we kept her for so many years.”  
  
“Dearest, I know, I know. I want her gone too. But we can’t get rid of her until we have the chance to, and who knows how long that will take?”  
  
“We need the chance; but until then, just put her in her place. Would you, my dear husband?”  
  
“And where the hell have you been?”   
  
“Don’t you dare lie to me – you know I would’ve been notified. That’s strike two down….”  
  
“If you make a single sound, I will pull harder; you got it, you disgusting, filthy whore?”  
  
“You’re disgusting. I don’t know what people see in you these days. All I see is a filthy, gross, punching bag. I can’t wait until you’re dead.”   
  
“Worthless! Useless!”   
  
“Man, that’s my kid you got there in your hands, can you give it back to me please?”  
  
“THAT’S IT!”  
  
I grabbed the knife and went straight for his neck - red blood spurted out. The man tried to scream. I didn’t stop. I kept attacking his neck. Relentlessly. Again and again. At every possible angle. The man collapsed. I shifted my grip to hold the knife underhand. I came down upon him. I bathed in the bloodspray, and the beautiful snow was dyed in crimson. In the depths of a sea of blood, I held my knee and sobbed.   
  
Red.  
Red.  
RedRedRedRedRedRedRedRed  
  
Red snow. Red snow. Red Snow.  
  
The world is dyed in blood and I can’t get it back to normal.  
  
I stayed my beating heart to do it. To stand up and move, so mother had a good view of father’s corpse. Her eyes wavered. She pointed to the corpse with one hand and approached.   
The light from her lamp clearly illuminated her emaciated body. She was like a worn husk.   
Her sunken eyes had a strange glow as he looked at the blood-soaked man’s face.   
  
"I did this."   
"I did this, mother."   
  
…Why?   
Why won’t you look at me? Why that man?   
Why - why must you keep proving how you don’t love me?   
  
"Stop."   
  
Stop. Don’t look at him. I don’t want to see this.   
  
"STOP!!"   
  
The corpses of my mother and father smiled at me, their features melting off like they were scoops of ice cream left out in the boiling sun for hours on end.  
  
“She was always never going to believe you, DISGUSTING little whore. I can’t believe you even thought she would even try to think of what happened back then.”  
  
“No matter what happens, she will always be on our side. Forever. Because we loved her, and not someone as disgusting as you.”  
  
I let out a hellish scream, and I felt myself leave this world.  
  
  
  
But I didn’t.  
  
  
“My own uncle, stealing my soulmate away from me….” I heard a familiar voice drowned out. I felt like I was underwater. I could muster that I was being touched, but I was too tired to make out the words.  
  
“What would aunt Celia think of you right now?!”   
  
My eyes snapped open.   
  
“And what on Lore are you wearing?”  
  
Vath had me wrapped in an embrace, holding onto my right hand to try and make me come to. Once he realised I was awake, he looked back with a sigh of relief. It was the same blue eyes that had triggered this event to occur, as they stared deep into my soul with such a maternal concern that I swore I could see little clear droplets of water threatening to spill from those very sapphire-tinted eyes, which shook me to my very core.  
  
“First you take my father…then my starlight….” Adam muttered. “Did… did I do anything to hurt you? If I did, please speak now. We could solve this!”  
  
“I just don’t understand why you’d hold such a grudge against me….” Adam folded his arms, giving us both a look full of despair. This look made me flinch, and I gripped the red fabric of the maxi dress that Vath had still donned in an attempt to seduce the creep away just mere moments ago. I gripped his hand tighter in fear. What was Adam playing at? What was he planning to do?  
  
“Where is aunt Celia, anyway…? I don’t think she would approve of you getting so close with my starlight.”   
  
Don’t listen to him – I thought these words, gripping Vath’s hand even tighter in hope he was listening out for my thoughts. He’s trying to provoke us. There’s no other explanation. You’re better than this.  
  
“OR DID YOU KILL HER TOO, JUST LIKE MY FATHER AND SARA?!” Adam shrieked, pulling out a sword in an attempt to attack the purebred. Vath flinched, but I took the hit by holding my arm out in front. Adam impaled through my arm in the process. Red spurted around the wound, and the point of the blade went dangerously close to my eye, in an attempt to gouge it. My eyes torn open in fear as I saw the blood was my own and I had been fatally wounded.   
  
The blade had been accompanied by an agonising stinging that made me feel the extreme urge to rip  out my hair or cut my entire arm off instead of feeling this pain. Tears threatened to spill from my cheeks and I bit my tongue to stop myself from calling out. The grip on my hand tightened, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that the drow beside me was shaking, his eyes fixated on the wound that formed on my arm.   
  
Red eyes.   
  
Red eyes that were filled with eternal anger. Eternal despair. I was scared. The last time I saw him like this was when someone said he had killed Celia without even giving her a chance to escape. The aftermath was excruciating for him; I didn’t wish to be faced with such a fate to deal with the consequences and I certainly believe he didn’t want to be faced with it either. When he opened his mouth, I expected the worst to come out.  
  
“Your father invaded my territory, broke into my fortress, attempted to manipulate my people into believing I was a fraud, wounded my soldiers so they were vulnerable, and then even tried to kill my pet just so I could be nothing but a piece of rubbish on the ground.” Vath began in a sharp tone, beginning to raise his voice ever so slightly as he went on. “Antonio Galanos was nothing but a fraud and a manipulative swine. I had spared him countless times after he tried to invade and drive people away from me. Only then when he severely injured my dearest is when I took action against him. You should be honoured I showed your father mercy.”   
  
“Celia and I discussed multiple times on the matter. She loved her sister unconditionally, and could not bear to leave her as a single mother. But your father was hellbent on taking us down until our bodies were both unrecognisable to the public; thus, we were essentially forced to assassinate your father. I am sorry for your loss, and I did not wish for this to occur. You have to understand that.”   
  
Adam was stunned at this. He must’ve been agonised at the betrayal, as he refused to listen to Vath’s testimony. “I don’t believe you.” He growled. “You are nothing but a low, scum of the earth beast. You are a lord of chaos. How could I ever believe someone who is aligned with such things over Antonio Galanos, a brave, outstanding warrior, my father, my friend, the soulmate of my very own mother?”   
  
“You are not my uncle. You are a feral beast in the form of an elf.”  
  
At this moment, I had understood Adam’s sorrow to an extent. Vath had killed his father, Vath’s brother-in-law, and his aunt, Vath’s wife. The man that Adam and Adrainne held in such high esteem back while I was still living with him before the disaster was now gone. He was no longer the great elven king they had spoke of, that was a known fact. He was now something other, a creature of the night who fed on people’s minds and bent them to his will.   
  
But I couldn’t stop the words escaping my mouth.  
  
“If you refuse to listen to him, then you lose me as your ally.” I whispered up to Adam, trying as best as I could to muster these words – the pain was still present. “You present to us as a threat. Get your hopes up – you may meet your father earlier than you think you will.”  
  
Did I just threaten Adam?  
  
“In other words, I swear. I will kill you the next time we cross paths. I will make sure of it. You killed that man in cold blood.”  
  
A flash of anger came upon Adam’s face. “Gladly, traitor.” He removed the sword from my arm, making me scream in pain, blood gushing out. “Siobbhan!” He yelled, making the redhead stand up while she had been searching the corpse all this time. “We’re done here.” In a flash of blue light, they were gone. It seems they used a teleportation spell to get away from us. Oh well.  
  
Vath instantly snapped out of his anger and got to work on my heavily injured arm. I was met with a golden light that shined through my wound, beginning to build up flesh and muscle once more. He was unable to fully recover it, but was able to stop bleeding and ensure it wouldn’t get any worse. This was when he stripped of his maxi dress. The other oranges fell to the floor, and he ripped a part of the skirt, wrapping it around my injury. “I hope this helps.” He sighs, grasping my hand.  
  
“I did not imagine I would reunite with my young nephew in such a way.” Vath mused to himself. “The last time I met with him was during my coronation in the capital of the elven empire – he was so extraordinarily infinitesimal back then.”  
  
“I wish we could be back in those times.”  
  
I wrapped him in a hug, feeling the warmth of his bare chest against me. The textures of his many scars were gentle against my skin, and it made me feel peace and tranquillity in this moment of peril. I wanted to stay like this forever, but there was a damp feeling forming on the top of my head that needed addressing. I moved my head upwards to be met with Vath’s tear-streaked face.   
  
“My own nephew…killed one of my comrades.” He sniffled, droplets falling further. His face was so close to mine that his tears fell onto my own cheeks – they then fell from my face onto the ground, like they were my own.   
  
“It’s going to be hard to move on without him.” I cupped his face with my hands so his eyes fixed onto mine. “You’ll cry a lot, and you’ll miss him. But you have to understand that he’s now in a better place. A place where he can be happy and rest, while watching over you all. A place where he can be free from the control of Drakath Slugwrath.”   
  
“Free from the control of Drakath Slugwrath…” Vath murmured, looking down at me.”  
  
“Yes. That’s right. He will be free.” I replied to his words.  
  
Vath looked like he was about to say something. He blew a white strand out of his face, hesitating for a moment. He cleared his throat and spoke. “H-….”  
  
“Also, change of topic – but you actually looked kind of cute as a woman. Maybe you should try it again another time.”  
  
“….Sara.”   
  
That was the first time he spoke my name.  
  
“Would you, please – do the honour of staying by my side?” He asked, getting closer to me. “And will you still be there when I awake the next day?”   
  
I couldn’t make any promises, but to this poor, pleading man…I felt as if I didn’t have a choice but to make it. It would’ve killed me to see his heart be ripped apart thrice in the same day.  
  
“Of course.” I murmured, looking up at him, nodding.   
  
He closed the space between us. I didn’t stop him.  
  
  
* * *   
  
  
I spent that night in his chambers, one of his arms wrapped close to me, fearful of my disappearance. My head rested on his chest, and I could hear a gentle, tranquil rumbling coming from it. I have to say, I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t happy in this moment. The feeling of it was surprisingly domestic, and I couldn’t help but smile and feel at peace. His chest heaved upwards, and then downwards. The warm breath tickling my ear made me relax. His hair, spun like silver thread, reflected on the moonlight that peeked outside the window. The slight smile on his sleeping features proved to me he was happy.  
  
This feature soon broke. He started to mumble and whimper, sweating with fear in his sleep. He shook violently, coughing rapidly and breathing heavily. He tried to whimper out a name, but it wasn’t decipherable. I was then able to wrap myself against him, whispering soothing words of praise into his ear, which made him calm down, and relax against me. He rubbed his head against mine, returning to his sleep pattern.   
  
It wasn’t soon after I felt myself drifting off too, into a world free of responsibilities and danger.  
  
  
* * *   
  
Or so I thought.  
  
I awoke in a black void. I had no memory of getting here. Where even was I?   
  
Was I even still alive?  
  
I tried to scream out, but to no avail. It seems as if I’m stuck here, with no escape.  
  
“Even though you have the blood of the Shadowscythe, you still have a good heart, Miss Dreadgood. Although, there’s one thing that you must do.” I saw words appear in my head.  
  
Who are you? I thought. What do you want me to do?  
  
“Stay away from my husband, harlot.” The words changed.   
  
I then saw a bright light appear before me. A woman began to materialise from it, and then I felt my breath drain from me. She was beautiful.  
  
Her hair had a warm, beachy-looking hue that lovingly matched her medium tawny complexion. Her curls had reached down to her thighs, and her hair was lighter as it went down. She opened her eyes and I was met with the colour of a thousand suns. She was so beautiful. Her hips, breasts and butt were perfectly sculpted – they were what you would consider the attractive size, but to the point where they didn’t look fake. Her pouted, perfect pink lips formed a smirk. There was only two things that was bad about this woman.  
  
She was covered head to toe in blood and there was a hole in her chest.   
  
I could see right through that hole where her heart would have once resided.  
  
What distracted me from her brutal appearance was a crown that faded onto her head. It was a forest tiara, an elven crown that was covered with golden leaves and rose gold roses, and a bright pink stone resided right in the middle. This was an elf crown. This woman was a queen.  
  
I knew who she was now.  
  
“Celia.” I muttered those three syllables, making my hatred for her as obvious as possible.  
  
I could speak freely now. There would be no holding back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so basically -  
> 1: Adam is an angry bitch  
> 2: Sara is an angry bitch  
> 3: Siobbhan is an angry bitch  
> 4: Vath is an angry bitch  
> 5: Sara is a fucking homewrecker  
> 6: Vath's dead wife is out to cut some homewreckers (Sara LMAO)
> 
> im also gonna say this and ill say it now - 
> 
> VATH AND SARA ARE NOT ENDGAME. THEY'RE THE 2ND RELATIONSHIP. 2NDS DONT HAPPEN LOL.
> 
> ALSO AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE BASICALLY UNINTENTIONALLY USING EACHOTHER AS REBOUNDS AND FOR THERAPEUTICAL/RECOVERY REASONS - SARA IS USING HIM TO SOOTHE HERSELF FROM ADAM'S BETRAYAL AND HER PTSD FROM HER PARENTS, AND VATH IS BASICALLY USING HER AS A REPLACEMENT FOR HIS DEAD WIFE AND HIS RUNAWAY DAUGHTER. IT'S NOT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP. THANK YOU AND GOODBYE.
> 
>  
> 
> ALSO - I think I'm gonna have to change this fic of the series to explicit. The beginning of the final chapter is Sara reliving Celia's death, a brutal NSFW scene that would definitely traumatise some people, so I think I'll do that just in case.


	5. I love...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nightmare.  
> A truth.  
> A confession.  
> A bond.  
> An encounter.  
> A summon.  
> Another confession.
> 
> Just what do they think they're getting themselves into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT. IS THIS... THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE CHAOS INFILTRATION?! HOLY FUCK! TYSM FOR STICKING BY THIS LONG. IDK WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE AUXILIUM BUT OH MY GOD I LITERALLY DID NOT IMAGINE I'D FINISH THIS. 
> 
> keep in mind - tw for gore, self-harm, gaslighting, nsfw (its not that much it's literally kinda like a wet dream and itonly lasts for like 300 words or so) but watch out. ill put in warnings.

" _Those who fear punishment learn quickly how to behave; for primalism is not likely, they will simply do whatever they want. The case is different for those who do not fear punishment, because there is nothing to keep them in check. They do not act for consideration of the future. They take what they want; feeding their inner hunger. I am a victim; they took me away from my friends, so now I should curse chaos with every breath in my body. But there is no anger in my heart. Instead, I feel something that I can only describe as pity. I think of Vath, and the sorrow he must feel for killing countless people. My own feelings are setting me apart from the village."_

* * *

 

**~Sara~**

I awoke in a black void. I had no memory of getting here. Where even was I?

_Was I even still alive?_

I tried to scream out, but to no avail. It seems as if I'm stuck here, with no escape.

" _Even though you have the blood of the Shadowscythe, you still have a good heart, Miss Dreadgood. Although, there's one thing that you must do."_  I saw words appear in my head.

 _Who are you?_  I thought.  _What do you want me to do?_

" _Stay away from my husband, harlot._ " The words changed.

I then saw a bright light appear before me. A woman began to materialise from it, and then I felt my breath drain from me. She was beautiful.

Her hair had a warm, beachy-looking hue that lovingly matched her medium tawny complexion. Her curls had reached down to her thighs, and her hair was lighter as it went down. She opened her eyes and I was met with the colour of a thousand suns. She was so beautiful. Her hips, breasts and butt were perfectly sculpted – they were what you would consider the attractive size, but to the point where they didn't look fake. Her pouted, perfect pink lips formed a smirk. There was only two things that was bad about this woman.

She was covered head to toe in blood and there was a hole in her chest.

I could see right through that hole where her heart would have once resided.

What distracted me from her brutal appearance was a crown that faded onto her head. It was a forest tiara, an elven crown that was covered with golden leaves and rose gold roses, and a bright pink stone resided right in the middle. This was an elf crown. This woman was a queen.

I knew who she was now.

" _Celia_." I muttered those three syllables, making my hatred for her as obvious as possible.

"Sara Dreadgood." She muttered, making her hatred just as obvious. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I've listened to many stories of you."

"Well, they certainly weren't positive. I'm shocked how you moved on from my sister's daughter right onto my own husband so quickly. A married man, no less. For shame." She tutted. "Just what would your mother think of her own daughter, a filthy,  **disgusting** homewrecker?"

I flinched when she spoke of the word that had rocked my very bones. "My mother is dead. She can't think." I retorted. "And you shouldn't be able to either."

"Oh?" An arch from her perfectly sculpted brow proved she thought otherwise. "I think you'll find yourself incorrect."

Three figures materialised out of thin air. I could recognise the red hair almost instantly. Green and brown eyes. They looked down at me patronisingly, without a single speck of remorse. A man and two women. Their glares replicated droplets of water running down your arms and soaking your sleeves when washing your face, or from being pushed into snow naked. They grinned with two sharp canines. Celia did too.

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

"A  **disgusting** whore like you...locking lips with a married man." A distorted voice, sickly and deep to the point it couldn't be recognised, rang out. It had a harsh tone, and each word they spoke felt like the metaphorical knife in my chest was twisting deeper and deeper inside, creating even more damage to my body. I couldn't focus on nothing else – except for these figures.

"It truly is a shame we didn't get rid of you when we had the chance. If I knew this was going to happen, I would've made sure of it as soon as you left my body." Another distorted voice, just as sickly, but a little bit higher in pitch rang out after that. The voice made a 'tch' sound and I heard something similar to someone stomping their foot.

"You were never there for me." I growled, making my move.

My parents were imaginary.

Celia was imaginary.

Everything in here was imaginary.

I was having a nightmare.

That means I'm in control.

"I'm in control." I replied, just as patronisingly as they did. "I...am in control. I can do this." I continued to breathe this out, rather to myself than to my opposers. I took another deep breath and cleared my throat.

"You're all monsters. The whole lot of you." I pointed to my father. "You beat me senseless." I pointed to my mother. "You didn't even acknowledge my existence."

I pointed to Celia.

"You abandoned your family when your daughter was fighting a terminal illness." I spoke to her with cold, dead eyes.   
  
"What would your sister say to you if she was here?" I continued. "You're just as bad as my parents. You're nothing but a  _monster._ "

Her perfect pink pouted lips formed a tiny 'o' for a moment, and she cast a frown down upon us. Her eyes became clouded and dangerous as they widened.

Uh oh.

"Oh, I see how it is." Her tone was volatile. Vile. She looked down on me like I had just mutilated a defenceless puppy right in front of her. I saw eyes of sunshine that reflected a threatening malice. I'm not sure I'd ever seen something like this before. My parents started to melt. I had caught her off guard. But when I blinked, the eyes had lost their dangerous gaze and the figures returned to normal. As soon as I began focusing my gaze on her once more, the glare had been replaced with something I could describe as a lot more mockingly and sly.

"You're in love with my husband."

What?

I didn't even have time to reply before the two forms that were meant to represent my parents threw their head back and let out a demented guffaw. They screamed and they shrieked, roaring as if Celia had just told one of the funniest jokes in the world. To them, her accusation  _was_ one of the funniest jokes in the world. I saw tears that were coloured with pure darkness slip out of their empty red sockets, as they grinned with their razor sharp teeth. I flinched each time they opened and closed their jaws, imagining as if  _I_  was inside there, being torn apart by their teeth.

More forms appeared. They crawled out of the darkness, laughing just as much. Perhaps even harder. I couldn't even decipher Celia anymore – there were too many figures appearing out of the ground just to point and laugh at me.

Then Vath appeared, exactly the same, but with a sick grin twisting his features, his eyes wide and menacing.

"Why would I let such a disgusting whore love me over a beautiful woman like my darling wife?" He chortled, walking over to Celia and leaving me in the dust. I felt the humiliation and shame rise deep inside of me, to the point it could be bottled no longer.

**TW - GASLIGHTING.**

_Maybe_ _it is true_ _..._  I began to think to myself.  _Maybe I am just a disgusting whore._

I looked downwards to gaze at the red fabric that Vath had ripped from his dress to cover my wound. Red fabric.

_I was to be a doomknight, was I not? How did I even get here?_

_What am I?_

_Who am I?_

"Sara Dreadgood." More letters appeared inside of my head.

_Who is Sara Dreadgood?_

"Someone who doesn't deserve happiness." The letters twisted and turned bright red.

"You don't deserve happiness."  
  
"I don't deserve happiness." I whispered.

"You deserve to die."

"I deserve to die." I whispered.

I tore the red fabric from my arm, to reveal my throbbing wound. It was still in such agony, but it was not to the point of festering – not yet, but I was met with a gaping red hole from last night. I could see my muscles deep inside, making me look deeper with curiosity. Perhaps I could make use of this wound.

"Do it."

"Yes." I whispered.

**TW - SELF HARM**

Then, I dug two index fingers deep into my wound. The bleeding began again, pouring from my arm down onto the ground. I felt my fingernails grow stronger as I attempted to rip apart muscle, and when the wound became longer enough to slip in three fingers, I did the same until there was enough for four. It soon came to the point when I had my whole fist inside my now gaping wound, blood spurting out like a firehose, muscle and veins breaking apart. I didn't feel any of the pain, just a raging feeling deep in my bones that told me I had to do this to atone. I was nothing but a filthy disgusting creature that deserved no better than this, and I should be thankful that this beautiful woman wasn't giving me a worse punishment.

It's always been the same. No one had ever loved me, and if they did, it was either a lie or they stopped loving me. I couldn't even get my own parents to love me. How pathetic am I? Truly, a disgusting creature like me deserves to just die.

Finally, my fingers had broken through my entire arm, splitting the wound apart. Seeing my fingers on the other side made me smile with glee, knowing my wound was now fatal and that I could no longer be saved. To guarantee this, I pulled my hand out of my wound. It was nothing but red. A disgusting fluid from a disgusting girl. No one deserved to clean this wound, only the disgusting wrench who made it.

Before I could clean my wound to please my superiors, a presence that stood directly in front of me stopped this from happening. Celia.

Beautiful Celia. Wonderful Celia. Flawless Celia. Why would I think Vath want someone even slightly less as amazing as Celia, compared to myself? She glared at me just like how I deserved to be treated, like scum.

"Even the pain that you felt digging through your arm is NOTHING compared to the pain that I felt that day." She kicked me in the face, and I fell down willingly to make her feel pleased in successfully knocking me down. When I saw her up close, I noticed that she had a white and gold dragon tattoo on her arm.

It was beautiful.

I didn't even remember hitting the ground.

"Let's break you even more." A chuckle echoed in my ears, making my world become darker.

**SELF HARM AND GASLIGHTING END.**

* * *

**TW - NSFW**

My vision soon began to fade in.

"Anhh...."

There was a voice coming out of my mouth that wasn't mine.

"Anhh....oh, baby~"

There were movements coming from my body that weren't mine.

"P...please give me...m-more..."

There was a feeling coming from deep inside my core that was very unfamiliar to me. I craved something. A release. I wanted to give in. Something was building up and the more it stayed the more it felt like torture. My knees buckled as I felt my legs being pushed up, then being supported as I felt the need in my core deepening.

"Look at me, ussta ssinssrigg." I felt a hand on my face. "Please, ussta ssinjin."

I opened my eyes slowly, but willingly. I was met with the sight of Vath, his cheeks flushed a deep purple, his tongue, a stark shade of colour that reminded me of tyrian red. His hair still had a silvery-white shine to it, but it was a lot more tangled. His eyes were pink, but full of love, and he had a desperate look in his eye that he wanted more.

"Lerg, plynn uns'aa." 'I' whispered in his ear, wrapping my arms around him, closing any space that was previously between us. "Qualla...."

That sentence seemed to make the spark in Vath's eyes glow with even more desire. "Jalbol whol dos....Celia vallabha." He locked lips with me. "I'm so happy you came back to me...."

They felt so much softer now than how they felt last night, and they kissed with so much more passion. I understood that – as in his eyes, he did not lock lips with me.

He then pounded harder and faster, and I couldn't help but gasp out in pure enjoyment. A thought drifted at the back of my head, wondering what would happen if he didn't pull out in time, but I quickly dismissed this as it was only a dream. It wasn't reality.

The way his body worked against my temporary vessel had my mind reeling, feeling him thrust each time brought me closer into gaining that sweet release. The pleasure swallowed me as I couldn't hold the feeling inside me any longer, coming undone for him, as he gave into bliss as well. 'I' screamed for him, and we both fell into bliss together. He smoothed beach-toned hair from my face as a smile passed his lips. He kissed my forehead. The words remained unspoken in his mind, but in my heart I could feel he'd already said them to her.

**NSFW END.**

"Usstan ssinssrigg dos." Vath murmured, sighing. "Usstan ssinssrigg dos ji mzilt."

'I' put up a hand to run my fingers through his silvery white locks. I didn't say it back to him. All of a sudden, I felt a pang of sorrow deep in my chest, and I knew I had to tell him something. But what?

Celia was up to something. I could feel it. I just didn't know what it was.

"I can't stay here, ussta ssinssrigg." I turned to him, speaking in a serious tone. "I can't stay for any longer."

He shot upwards with a serious look on his face. His eyebrows furrowed, his eyes widened and became clearer, free of the clouded bliss they were in earlier. It was clear that he was very confused by this reaction. They experienced something that was described as wonderful, and now Celia was going to leave him without any proper explanation. His eyes lingered, possibly wondering why this would happen.

"Whatever is the matter, ussta ssinjin?" Vath pondered, tilting his head to the side. "It is understandable you would be a tad uncomfortable staying with me after months of being apart, separate sleeping chambers for us can be arranged if you so-"

"No, Vath." I replied, Celia's voice coming out of my mouth. "I mean I can't stay here. With you. In the mountains."

She shouldn't have said that. His mouth quivered for a mere moment while he tried to sustain himself by refusing to meet her gaze and cradling himself. "I...I thought we were going to be happy again..."

"I...I'm powerful now...I'm feared...I'm everything you ever wanted me to be...I...I cured our daughter's illness...I now have enough riches to support us for the rest of our lives...We can finally be happy..." He stammered on, clearly going through a crisis. When he turned back, he had the sapphire-glinted look clear in his eyes.

"Why don't you want to stay with me?" He asked.

Celia moved my new vessel up from the bed. I could see my new vessel in the mirror. A warm, beachy-looking hue of hair that lovingly matched the medium tawny complexion, that was riddled with purple marks around the neck. Curls reaching down to the thighs, and hair lighter as it went down. Suns for eyes. So beautiful. Perfect hips. Perfect bosom. Perfect rump. Pouted pink lips. 'I' donned a soft pink lingerie set, complete with its own dusty pink satin robe that clung to the bedside table. 'I' took it gratefully, thankful for the extra layer; it was cold up in the mountains, even if we were inside.

"I came here to retrieve...my daughter." 'I' replied, slipping on fluffy pink moglin slippers. 'I' lifted the hood of her robe.

I could no longer comprehend the scene that was unfolding. I wanted to scream out – no, this is wrong. You shouldn't be doing this.

"...Huh?" Vath started to laugh. It was a pitiful, nervous laugh. His eyes were crying out for help. I _t was like he knew – deep inside, he knew you were a monster, he knew you planned this all along, to take her away from him once she was better; but he didn't believe his mind was actually right._

_He wanted you. No. He needed you. He needed you back so badly. Your daughter was dying while you were off possibly parading all of Lore, skipping around, eating tea and crumpets with that good for nothing Alteon. When you finally accepted his request to return to him, you only used him for a one night stand to get rid of the desires that crept up on you while you were absent. Now that he is no longer of any use to you, you want to take away his only reason for happiness._

_How could you do such a thing? What sort of being are you?_

_You are no relative of Adrainne Galanos, the loving woman who took me in when I was only fifteen. The loving woman who kept me by her side and treated me as one of her own for the four years I was present, even if she was terminally ill at that time. The loving woman who lost physically everything and everyone in her life and still managed to keep a smile on her face each day, despite the fact that she was slowly dying on the inside and outside and could do nothing to stop it._

Vath's eyes went menacing. "A friendly reminder to you, dear Celia; that the only reason our daughter can still walk and talk freely without going into a coughing fit is due to the chaotic gemeralds the dwarves mine." He clenched his fists. "By taking away Slugwrath's only motive to keep me his slave, you would inevitably send this entire kingdom to their demise – the slaves, the drow...that includes our child."

"I am her mother. I demand she return with me." Celia moved my vessel's mouth, folding her arms and keeping her stance. "Besides, how could a child grow up and properly develop in a place such as this? It's preposterous!" She moved my vessel closer to Vath, but slightly hesitated. "Alteon and I already talked it through. If I am to have any trouble with her, he would be more than happy if we stayed in Swordhaven castle.

"I'm sorry if your feelings are hurt by this outcome, but you must understand that what I'm doing..." She placed my hand on his shoulder. "It's for the best. Think of...our child." When she did this, Vath flinched, and shook her hand off of his shoulder. It was clear he wasn't happy with this outcome and didn't wish to go down without at least a fight.

"She's mine too..." Vath stammered. "R-remember....? The smile she gave me the day I first met her? The way she looked so peaceful in my arms after being born? The way she clung onto my pinky and didn't wish to let go? Her first word? Her first step...?" He turned and clung to my vessel if his life depended on it, tears threatening to escape his eyes. "Her first birthday. There was cake, and balloons...D'wain, he...he fell into the cake...she laughed her heart out...and I know she probably won't remember it, but...I do...oh, and there was the Ferris wheel, and her first day at school...she...wanted me to...stay with her...and I had to sit at the back of the classroom...back of the classroom..."  
  
"I can picture it now...back of the classroom...holding her hand...I had to...squeeze into a chair and desk fit for a four year old...the other children mocked her for it, but...there was a part of me that never wanted to let go of her hand. I...promised her, I would never let go of her." The tears fell from his eyes.

"You can't force me to break that promise I made to her nine years ago, Celia...I beg of you..."

Celia removed his hands from my body, and sighed. "I have to do what is right, Vath."

"No, no...it's not right to rid yourself of your husband...your soulmate...it's not right to rid your child of her father..." He tried to argue with her. He was desperate. The only thing preventing him from losing all of his sanity in this cruel world that Drakath had reborn him into was being ripped away from him and all he could do was plead for her to leave her threat behind in the past and continue to live with him – or at least, let his daughter still live with him. But Celia was determined for her dream to become reality, and she twisted the knife that was embedded deep into Vath's body.

"My soulmate died the day he became a lord of chaos." She responded coldly, without emotion.

"No...you don't mean that..." Vath stammered. "You...you..."

"Goodbye." Celia moved my body to leave the room. But-

.

.

.

.

What's this feeling?

My heart's pounding painfully hard against my ribcage, and all my senses are screaming at me tro run. But how could I run when there's a hand as cold as ice on my shoulder? I took a step forward, only to let out a surprised yelp when I was lunged at and then I was knocked to the floor. Immediately Celia kicked out at the tall man to no avail, struggling wildly in his grip. A knife sliced my hand as Celia moved to slap him, and I recoiled, overridden by the fear and humiliation at being overwhelmed so easily. Celia spat at the large man, and I then let out a choked cry as he stepped on my windpipe. Before I could stop him, he grabbed the weapon and lunged for me, piercing my chest with the tip. Blood splattered the pink robe, staining it a dark shade of crimson, and he covered my mouth with his hand as he drove the weapon deeper into my stomach, his breaths coming out strained and uneven.

"I...I'm sorry...I, I didn't mean... P...please... Lorithia...spare me...!" The tears streamed down my cheeks. Celia begged for him to listen. The pleas resounded throughout the room, loud and pitiful, and I couldn't hear anything else over the echo of Celia's voice. That is, until something louder overtook it. Laughter. Psychotic giggling that made my blood run cold. My vision blurred with her tears. My heart stopped beating when I saw who it was. Vath was cackling madly, pink eyes wide and unfocused as small snickers slipped passed his lips.

"W...What are you...?" Celia stammered out in between a strained intake of breath, my body convulsing with another sob. "O...oh my god....someone help...please help..."

Vath covered his mouth as if trying to hide the giggles escaping past his lips, as he turned to face me, his pink eyes clouded with an emotion I couldn't recognise. "Ah, are you scared?~" His expression contorted to something that could be perceived as pity, and he knelt closer to my sobbing vessel, pulling my vessel closer into an embrace. Celia went rigid in his hold, mind muddled with fear.

"You do understand what would happen if you tried to take my ta'ecelle away from me?" He leaned in closer, his warm breath brushing against my ear. Celia whimpered, attempting to pull away, but Vath's grip was strong, and I could feel blood beginning to seep from where the tall man's nails dug into Celia's skin. Celia was desperate to get away from whoever this way, because it wasn't her husband – she couldn't believe it was Vath – but how did this person look so much like him?

"Y-You're not the man I fell in love with!" Celia sputtered out, crying aloud when Vath bent her wrist backwards. "Lorithia, let go!" A stinging pain circulated through my cheek, and it took me a moment to realise Vath had slapped Celia, his eyes full of red rage. Unlike the other times, his entire eye surface, including the sclera, was a bright crimson red, ready to strike. Celia desperately fought to free her wrist, but that only caused the bone to sway and creak more under the pressure of Vath's hand forcing it to an awkward angle, and she cried out when the SNAP of bone resounded throughout the room. Agony spiralled through my hand, and she let out a shrill cry.

"So unpredictable..." Vath tutted. "But that's why I love you, oh so much...you act all high and mighty, but really – you're just a spoiled brat that wouldn't have even survived without me. So full of disgust..." 

He let out a small chuckle, planting a chaste kiss on my vessel's forehead before he murmured, a manic smile on his face. "You'll never be able to escape me. Dos phuul usst nin."

He replaced his knife with his sword.

He opened her stomach up using the wound made by the knife as a guide. I felt nothing but cold now. I couldn't even understand what he was saying now, as he was deeply invested in his mother tongue at this point.  
  
He probed through her womb in the process. "Ol kluthak dos xal tlu mzild ku'nal taga usstan ssiggrin. Dos phuul ji du'ased ukt dalhar zhah naut knanin wun do." Once he was disinterested, he panted like a dog, looking over the sight he had made. I looked deep into his eyes. He was empty. His threat had been diminished, but at what cost? Surely, there was nothing good to benefit from this outcome.

The door opened, and fate soon turned a lot darker for Vath.

"Mama, Papa...I...." I heard a tiny voice. I moved my eyes upwards. Even though I saw her upside down, I still could feel the love radiating between Celia and this child. She looked exactly like a drow – waist-length white hair, elven ears and indigo blue skin, but she had the sun-like eyes. She was dressed in a little white gown, complete with little white slippers. She clung to a stuffed moglin like her life depended on it.

That poor, poor girl. I could never imagine how it would be like to walk in to see one of the two people you loved more than anyone else in the world dead, and the other of those two people kneeling over their corpse being the person who done it.

"Ah! Du'ased ta'ecelle!" Vath exclaimed, his eyes shining with delight. "Whatever is the matter?"

Vath and Celia's daughter never replied to his question. Her eyes were lit up with so much fear that she screamed at the top of her lungs and ran away, far away. She left the moglin in her wake. That poor little girl had walked in on something a child should never have to walk in on. It was a natural reaction, and shouldn't be questioned. Vath must've felt the same, since he never ran after her. The sorrow in his eyes was perfectly obvious, and I couldn't help but shiver.

"I'm so sorry." Vath muttered.

  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
I couldn't help but feel that he was saying this not to Celia, but to me.

* * *

**~Adam~**

"Sir Galanos." Gravelyn spoke to me, her blue eyes in consistent focus. "We are ready to begin the invasion."   
  
"Dwarfhold mountains, you said she's being kept?" Siobbhan turned to the drow traitor, elbowing him in the side jokingly.

"Y-yes." The drow assassin, who we were told was named Jorxlol, answered grudgingly due to Siobbhan's mistreatment. "That is where Dreadgood and the Majesty Dragonlord reside."

"It looks like my selfish sister's going to pay for her wretched crimes." Siobbhan stretched, her scarlet hair shining in the sun. She smirked towards me, a small pink blush on her cheeks. I turned away sighing.

_Even though she threatened to kill me..._

_I still want to believe she's in there somewhere._

_I still want to believe her mind is being held hostage._  
  
"We strike at sunrise, when the drow are at their weakest." I announce. "Stay alert."

_Because I love her._

* * *

**~Sara~**

I regained consciousness very slowly. I was aware that I was awake, but I wanted to close my eyes. I let myself drift in that sweet area between sleep and wakefulness for what seems like millennia. I can't say for sure where I am right now, but all I want to do is stay in this peaceful moment. However, things all can't last forever. I slowly, slowly feel out more of my surroundings. The soft sheets. How I felt so relaxed. I clenched my hand just to make sure my body still worked.  

I then realised that Vath was curled around me. I felt satisfied, truly satisfied...content. It is ludicrous and blissfully domestic all at once. I'm only left with a peaceful white static, one that soothes me. Vath finally stirs though. He stretches a little, nuzzling the top of my head, then pricking my neck with his fangs. He only takes a snack's worth before healing my wound.

"Let's see how your other wound is doing." He says, unwrapping the red fabric on my arm.

_Oh no._

_Oh no._

_Oh no._

_My whole fist._

_In that arm._

_Oh no._

"W...wait...maybe..." I muttered, trying to distract him.

"No, Sara." He retorted. He called me by my name. "I need to inspect this wound. It is vital for you to be in top condition if the rebels plan to invade."

I shut my eyes tight as he was about to realise that my wound would be severely infected and reopened to the point where it was leaking on the other side.

"Wh...what is this..."

"I...I can explain, I swear...I..." I panicked, trying to reason with him.

"Open your eyes." He demanded.

When I obeyed his command grudgingly, I realised that my arm was not covered with a wound. The wound had been healed.

And in the place of that wound, was the same white and gold dragon tattoo that Celia had on her arm.

"What the fuck...?" I questioned. "What the FUCK...?"

I touched it. All those memories of that dream began flooding back. It felt like an unbearable agony seeping inside my brain but as soon as the marking was missing my touch, the pain vanished without a trace, for the strangest reason.

"Why do you have her marking?" He questioned. "How did it get there...?"

I cleared my throat. "I'm...not exactly sure. She...visited me last night, I think that's..." I muttered.

Remembering that dream was too much for me to comprehend. Tears fell down my cheeks as I let out a great sob, quickly shoving myself into his chest, his embrace sheltering me from the world.

"I know how she died, Vath." My sobbing was muffled in his chest, but his hearing allowed him to understand every single word I spoke down there. "I saw everything." His composure shook, and when I looked up, he was a shaking mess, and he was attempting his absolute best to hold back a loud cry, as the tears were present in his eyes.

"If you wish to leave, I completely understand." Vath spoke to me, running his hands through my hair. "Just say the word, and I will be able to summon Stalagbite to take you home." He cradled me, just like he would do to a child. I wonder if his child was in this situation as well. This could possibly have been true. "Anyone in their right mind would agree with you if you wanted to leave me."

"I don't." I whispered, keeping my head low, close to him.

This reaction shocked him. "B...but...why? So many have left me, how have..."  
  
"Because I am not them." I interrupted him. "I am me." I took his hand in my own, bringing it up to his face. He looked towards my hand in confusion, but I kept a smile on my face. "I've always been...just me."

"You suffered. You suffered for a very long time. No one was there to see it, and those who did chose to ignore it. I...may not be a good comforter, but...if you'll have me, I..."

He wrapped his arms around me, securing me in a tight, warm embrace. His body shook as he let out a loud sob. I didn't know if it was because he was glad or he was sad – possibly, a mixture of both. "Bel'la dos." He whispered. "Lorithia...bel'la dos...bel'la dos..."

As I sighed in his arms, I felt a slight bit of sorrow being lifted from off of my shoulders.

"I...I promise....you will never...ever...turn out to be as bad as I became that day. I promise."

* * *

**~Adam~**

"NO! PLEASE!" A werepyre yelled, the name of Wolfwing. "STOP! I'M BEGGING YOU!"

"Save your breath." Siobbhan tutted, ripping out his heart. He let out a roar, and then went into a catatonic state.

"That's Xiang, Kitsune and Wolfwing down." I said, checking our checklist of chaos lords.

Suddenly I felt out of place again. He was back.

  
" ** _My son is doing so well._** " He muttered, smiling.

  
"Adam? Whatever's the matter, man?" Siobbhan asked me, her head tilted to the side, turning to me, her brown eyes wide and curious. I slapped my head instantly, pushing him out of my head in pure anger. I cannot be distracted this way. I cannot act this way. I cannot BE this way.

"I said...we're doing so well. Three down in one day, phew..." I sighed, wiping my forehead with my hand to get sweat off of me. "Dwarfhold is next, right?"   
  
Sara. A pang of recognition settled deep inside of my stomach.

"Yup siree." Siobbhan saluted. "I can imagine we'll get to there soon, boss." She walked over to me, and placed a hand on my shoulder, a soft look on her face. "If you wish to turn back, I'd get that. After all, your uncle and my sister reside there and...It'd be hard to kill them off just yet."

"Mmhm." I nodded, turning back.

Before I turned to retreat to my chambers, Siobbhan opened up a black void. "I wonder if I could contact her..." she muttered, stepping in and disappearing out of sight.

* * *

"Sara."

I heard a voice.

"Sara."

I opened my eyes to be met with scarlet hair and brown eyes. Siobbhan. How long had she been there? Was she stalking me?  
  
"What do you plan on doing to me?" I asked her, folding my arms in disgust at her presence. She looked a lot less menacing than she did yesterday. In fact, she looked a lot more awkward and tired now, looking down at the floor while playing with her red scarf.

  
"Where are we?" I asked her, trying to get information out.

"The nexus between realities. My power as a shadowstalker has brought you here." She replied, finally meeting my gaze and gaining confidence, looking a lot less awkward in my presence. "We need to talk, Sara."

  
She walked closer to me. "What do you plan on doing?" She asked.

I stopped. "What do I plan on doing?" I replied in question, but more questioning myself rather than asking Siobbhan. "I...don't know."

She was clearly angered by this. "Why do you keep on defending him?" She asked, getting closer. "How stupid can you be to defend a lord of chaos? A mass murderer spreading an epidemic?"

"He's not a mass murderer." I bit back, stepping away from her, my fists clenched. "He's not a mass murderer."  
  
"Of course you'd say that." Siobbhan sighed. "But do you really know him? He deprived Adam of a father figure, his faction drove Adam's mother to insanity...I don't think you should be around him."

  
"What do you know?" I spat at her. "You're just a child! You have no right to boss me around, telling me who I should and shouldn't align myself with!"

"You love him." Siobbhan accused.

_What?_

  
"That's it. You love him." Siobbhan repeated, looking down at me. "You chose him over Adam, a man you were with for four years. You took a hit for that man when Adam attacked him in anger." She walked closer, concern embedded deep in her face.

"W-what do you know?!" I shrieked in anger, backing away further. My reaction made her even more concerned as I shook with fear at her statement.

"S-sissy, please!" She shouted. "We're scared for you." She tried her best to console me as much as possible. "It might not seem like it, but Adam is terrified for you!" She grabbed my hand, trying to make me listen. "The last thing he wants to see is you practically killing yourself as the days go by. He's working so incredibly hard to save you and get you out of there. So please..." She looked towards me with her ever so innocent eyes. Those exact same eyes she gave my father when she walked in on him beating me. "Hold on until we come to retrieve you."  
  
"What if I'm actually happy here?" I turned to ask her, anger in my eyes. "Leave. Leave my sight or you will die. I don't want to hurt you, but I refuse to leave his sight...I'm safe here." My hands trembled a little when I spoke that.

_Am I really safe?_

_He killed Celia when she went against his orders._

_I could end up like that just as easily._

Siobbhan cursed loudly, gritting her teeth. "Sara! We're leaving together!" She insisted as she looked at me, her voice plagued with desperation and laced with pain. She sounded hurt, emotionally and not just physically. She hadn't expected me, her sister, her own flesh and blood, to hurt her. She was wrong.

"Get out!" My voice was strained, and through her eyes I could see my pupils had grown into tiny pinpricks. My heart was slamming in my chest.

  
"We need to bring you home! Pl-Please!" She attempted to move closer, entirely unarmed.

I stabbed her in the stomach. Tears had poured down her face. "I said get out!" I quickly rubbed my eyes. "I will not believe your fucking lies anymore! You are NOT taking me back!"

Siobbhan whimpered, looking me in the eyes, and then down to the floor.

  
"End shadow rift." She made a barely audible whisper, then the artifical world we were placed in was diminished from existence, and we were now back in our original places.

* * *

I heard a voice. It was ever so gentle, singing out.

" _Tonashss natha deshmal lerg,_

_Pholor lil' lorug jas._

_Vel'drav lil' su'aco d'sreft,_

_Lil' cot orn tonashss._

_Vel'drav lil' cot lassrinn,_

_Lil' cot orn rei._

_Harl orn doer lerg,_

_Cot lueth jal."_

When I opened my eyes I was met with Vath, stroking a little stuffed moglin. The same stuffed moglin that his daughter held and dropped in shock when she opened this same door beside me to witness her father murdering her mother, then kindly greeting her as if nothing had ever happened beforehand.

"I got her this for her tenth birthday." He smiled, holding it close to his chest. "It took millennia. I hunted down and low for a toy moglin in the elven empire. I was near to giving up. However, I succeeded..." He nuzzled the moglin's head with his own cheek. It appeared to be in a brutal, battered condition. The fur was heavily matted by now and one of its legs were barely hanging by a thread. "It's a shame she left it behind."

I cleared my throat, alerting him. His ears perked upwards and he turned to me, a look of shock on his face. I got up from my resting place, walking over to him. "We need to go." I took his hand, moving him away.

"Whatever is the matter?" He arched an eyebrow curiously, unaware of what was going on. He set the moglin down, his full focus on me.

"The rebels...they're onto our scent." I muttered, looking over. "It's complicated, so to speak. But I feel as if they're going to attack soon."

His lips pressed into a thin line, his eyebrows slanted and his eyes looked to the left for a mere moment, then his eyes turned back to me and gave me an anxious look. "I understand." He replied. "There is something I have to do first, however." He walked over to his drawer, and fetched the three ruby-red like gems I had seen being mined by the dwarves. Chaos gemeralds. Vath's extensive research and exploration of the mountains concluded that the only way to summon the second chaos beast was through these gems, and now his goal was complete.

"Let's head to the golden gate at the lower floor. There, we can get to the top of the mountains and summon the Roc."  
  
"Alright- wait, the what?" I asked, confusingly. He turned back to me and narrowed his eyes.

"Have you not heard the tale of the legendary Rock Roc? The flying rock bird that brought the very first drow into Lore!" He grasped me by the shoulders, his hair flying wildly, his eyes full of passion for knowledge.

"I mea- yeah, I have heard its name before...it's a weird name...anyway, isn't it supposed to be dead? Didn't it perish during that disastrous earthquake at least ten thousand years ago?"

"There is, in fact, an egg for the Roc to be hatched, but it is in a hibernation that cannot be wakened unless it has a master. These three chaos gemeralds will help recognise that I am in control of it."

He gripped them tightly, to the point where the sharp tips of the gems were nearly breaking the skin on his palms. His eyes gleamed with something. A determination. A malice. If I had only met him just right now, I'd be shook to my bones. I felt slightly off looking at his face that was ever so focused on these gemeralds.

"With these, I'll be able to prove to everyone who wronged me my true strength."

* * *

After a long and silent lift towards the top of the mountain, we had finally reached the summit and were met with an enormous rock, accompanied with Vath's dragon amulet perched off to the side. Behind the rock pedestal it floated on, seemed to be a quite easy hiding spot for someone who was small enough. I know that Vath could never fit down here – he was too tall, and his ears would instantly give way as they stuck out past his head. I had the urge to sneak down and try for myself in case it worked for me, but I didn't wish to be seen as a complete idiot in front of him, and I didn't wish to waste any time. So I denied my urge.

The sky looked incredibly beautiful in the early morning. Mixtures of pink, orange, yellow, and even purple, lit up our surroundings. It was breathtaking. I had never seen a sunrise before. As the yellow orb began to rise, Vath stepped out, and dropped the three gems into the ground.

"Let's see if this works..." He clenched his fist in anticipation, shutting his eyes tight, as if he was praying to Lorithia so she can grant him success.

She did.

White cracks with a blue outline formed on the rock. It began to crumble and rip apart as something were trying to break free. Then, a giant bird that was made fully of rock broke its way out of its prison and let out a bloodcurdling cry that rivalled even a banshee. It flew off into the distance, its eyes purple – meaning it was a success. Vath clutched his ears in fright, but only for a mere moment, then he immediately returned to his tough exterior, radiating pride.

That's when he raced back to me and wrapped me in a hug. "It worked! It worked!" When I moved my head upwards, I saw not the tyrannical, overbearing dragonlord, but a beautiful soul that was glimmering with such powerful potential. He was laughing. It wasn't a maniacal laugh, no – but a genuine, happy, blessed laugh that echoed out far into the mountains. He used his mere strength just to swing me about in his arms as if I were just a tiny kitten, vulnerable and clinging to affection.

Once he put me down, he gave such a grin of bliss that couldn't help but make me feel off. My heart started beating faster, pounding deep in my chest like a drum. My eyes wandered elsewhere, anywhere, anything to fix my gaze upon to distract me from that look he gave. When his face grew flushed I couldn't help but flush alongside him, turning away.

As we left that area, the sun fully rose up alongside us, signalling the dawn of a new day. This would not be a day full of laziness and solitude. The next twenty four hours were nothing but an anomaly, a mere mystery not even the most skilled time traveller could decipher for me. I did not know what would happen – I assumed it'd be very difficult for us to go on. There might be bloodshed, there might be troubles, there might be death...and there might not. The truth is, I didn't know.

However, I did know one thing in that moment. I knew that I wouldn't be harmed. Why I think this, you ask?

_Because_ _I love him._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI. HI. HI. 
> 
> Did you like that really tragic parallel from adam saying "because i love her"@ sara in the beginning to sara saying "because i love him" @ vath in the end
> 
> goddamn 
> 
> tw ur girl loves ur uncle
> 
> jfc
> 
> HERE'S THE DROW TRANSLATION. VATH SPEAKS DROW NOW. DON'T ASK LOL.
> 
> i was going to make my own drow language up but the truth is i dont have enough time for that. so uh...i took it from a lingojam fanmade translator. sorry about that.
> 
>  
> 
> ussta ssinssrigg – my love
> 
> ussta ssinjin – my sweet
> 
> Lerg, plynn uns'aa – baby, take me
> 
> Qualla – please
> 
> Jalbol whol dos – Anything for you
> 
> vallabha - dearest
> 
> Usstan ssinssrigg dos – I love you
> 
> Usstan ssinssrigg dos ji mzilt – I love you so much
> 
> ta'ecelle – sunlight (hc – vath's nickname for xeven, for this fic since her eyes are yellow, & because I don't want to give xeven a real name at least not yet because I don't feel right giving her a name tbh)
> 
> Dos phuul usst nin – You're mine now
> 
> Ol kluthak dos xal tlu mzild ku'nal taga usstan ssiggrin – It appears you may be more faithful than I thought.
> 
> Dos phuul ji du'ased ukt dalhar zhah naut knanin wun do – You are blessed his child is not growing inside of you.
> 
> Du'ased ta'celle – Blessed sunlight
> 
> Bel'la dos – Thank you
> 
> Tonashss natha deshmal lerg – rock a bye baby
> 
> Pholor lil' lorug jas – on the tree top
> 
> Vel'drav lil' su'aco d'sreft – when the wind blows
> 
> Lil' cot orn tonashss – the cradle will rock
> 
> Vel'drav lil' cot lassrinn – when the bough breaks
> 
> Lil' cot orn rei – the cradle will fall
> 
> Harl orn doer lerg – down will come baby
> 
> Cot lueth jal – cradle and all


End file.
